(our theme for November)

As I write this, the devastation from hurricanes Helene and Milton is still being assessed, but the destruction is already overwhelming. Many have been lost. Many have been displaced. For those of us who live in the mountains, it is especially hard to believe that a hurricane could cause so much ruin in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Now that the reality is setting in, it’s hard to believe that joy and gladness, thanksgiving and singing could ever be found in those mountains again.

This passage from Isaiah reminds me that God is present in devastation and ruin, and that where there is destruction, God’s people can always count on God’s comfort and compassion. The prophet tells us that we can be sure of it. The Lord will “surely comfort Zion,” he writes, and” will look with compassion on all her ruins.” Even in the face of utter destruction, there is hope for restoration of the land, and for joy, gladness and thanksgiving to be found among the people once again.

No one can predict the future. Storms will come, and sometimes they will rage. They may wreak havoc beyond our wildest imagination. We cannot be confident that life will be safe or that we will be protected from the storms, but we can be confident in the character of a loving God who surely remains present, provides comfort, looks with compassion, redeems the lost and restores the broken.

Gardens spring up, even in wastelands. For that, we give thanks.

God of the deserts and wastelands, God of the ruins, we give thanks for your unfailing presence and unwavering compassion. We ask that you comfort the grieving and restore the land, that songs of joy and thanksgiving might be heard once again. With hope we pray, amen.

This devotional was written and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.