Oklahoma Sorrow

According to the National Weather Service, the deadly tornado outside of Oklahoma City touched down just before 3:00 p.m. Central Time this afternoon. The mile-wide twister traveled on the ground for over an hour and covered nearly 20 miles, flattening homes, tossing cars high into the sky – and killing scores of people in the process.

The video and pictures are devastating. Our hearts break at the sight of such tragedy, especially the images of the grieving and those trying to cope with such suffering and loss.

My mind thinks about the mothers and fathers whose children never came home from school this afternoon. I think of the empty beds and the broken dreams and all the questions that have no suitable answers this side of eternity.

Tonight in Moore, Oklahoma there are individuals who lost spouses and children who lost parents. Scores of people lost friends and loved ones.

Focus on the Family would count it a privilege to help you and your loved ones find your way through this tragedy. Our trained and licensed counselors are available to help. Please just contact us.

From where I sit, the very best way to deal with grief is to grab hold of the Gospel and to remember the cross. Of all the religions in the world, ours is the only one which claims a Savior who is intimately familiar with suffering.

“He was despised and forsaken of men,” wrote the prophet Isaiah, “A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (53:3).

He knows. He cares. He understands.

Please join me in praying for those in Oklahoma and support the groups that are delivering help. And if you or a loved one are struggling to process the tremendous impact and suffering left in the wake of this disaster, I would ask that you listen to an interview I had with Randy Alcorn in September of last year entitled, “Where’s God in the Midst of Suffering?”, that addresses this very difficult subject. Though this program surrounds the national tragedy of 9-11, many of the themes and questions discussed are relevant to this devastating tragedy in Oklahoma.