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We must cling to what we know, admit what we do not understand, and look to the Lord in every situation. I know that in light of the recent and still not yet fully assessed devastation from Hurricane Helene, there are many who wonder why God allows natural disasters. I suppose many of us ask this question anytime there is a tornado, hurricane, tsunami, flood, or other natural disaster, but when the death toll continues to rise and the scope of physical and financial damage is so vast, it leaves even the most devout Christians wondering about God’s involvement — or his seeming absence in times like these.

Let me state upfront: I don’t have the answer. And it is okay to admit that there are some things we simply do not understand, and we won’t until we get to the other side — sometimes to the other side of our situation, and sometimes to the other side of eternity.

Today, in my Bible reading, the psalmist declared: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.”

And then in 2 Chronicles: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.”

As soon as I read these words, which are promises from Scripture, I thought of another phrase we heard over and over as Helene approached: “the eye of the storm.” Whether it was the live action radar we watched or a picture on our screens, we could see the eye of the storm as it approached land. So we watched, prepared, waited, and even prayed as the eye of the storm came to various locations. But it wasn’t the eye that caused the devastation; it was the eye wall, all around the center, that brought the wind, the rain, and then the aftermath that we still have trouble comprehending.

Over the last few days, I have heard people who missed the worst of the damage say, “God spared us,” “we had God’s favor,” or “God answered our prayers.” But what about the people in the bend of Florida, or in eastern Georgia, or western North Carolina? Did God ignore their prayers? Does God care for certain geographical locations more than others? Of course not. God loves all of his creation — humans, who he created to bear his image, and all of his created world. As hard as it is for us to comprehend, we must remember we live in a fallen world, awaiting the final renewal and restoration of all things. In a broken world, storms happen, cancer happens, and disasters come — sometimes far away from us, and sometimes to our front yard.

David tells us that the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. The earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord, even as disaster comes. As we share in the rebuilding of broken places and support our brothers and sisters in their suffering, we reveal the steadfast love of God to others.

God yearns to support those whose hearts and hope are placed in him. This is true when we are in great need and when we are not. God is faithful and trustworthy and extends his support by his Holy Spirit, through his promises of Scripture, and through his church.

There is plenty of time to ask hard theological questions about where is God when — but more than ever, it is time to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who have experienced unexpected and unimaginable losses.

Father, we confess that we don’t understand why and how there is so much suffering in our country and around the world. Yet we know that you love all of your creation and that your grace and mercy is always flowing toward your beloved. We ask that you reveal yourself in big and small ways to all who have been devastated by the hurricane, as well as those all across the Middle East and in Russia and Ukraine. Lord, stir us as your sons and daughters to pray, to give, and to be present to those in need today. In Jesus’ name, amen.