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At the time of writing this, Hurricane Beryl has left our part of Houston and we’re left to deal with the aftermath left behind by our very unwelcome and inconsiderate guest.
My family is very fortunate. We had minimal damage to our home and our power was out for only an hour. 24 hours later, 2.5 million people are without power and we don’t know when power will be restored to everyone. This week is supposed to be hot. Again, at the time writing this, the temperature is 92 degrees but the weather app says it feels like 110. On top of that, people have been using the What-a-Burger app to see where power has been restored because the official source has been wildly unreliable.
Where is God now?
Someone asked me via a social media platform: “Why would God allow such natural disasters to occur?” That someone was not a Houston (or Texas, for that matter) resident. I gently responded that we don’t have the luxury to entertain such thoughts of “why” be-cause right now, people need help. While I can’t ever give you an answer to such questions that will satisfy you, what I can say is that God is there with us to help pick our lives back up. How? Through people and God’s church.
Ours is a small church that meets out of a retail property that used to be a bakery. Our pow-er came back on and so we opened our doors to offer a semi-cooling center (our AC struggles in the summer. Lord, help it!).
As churches are slowly getting power, I see them offering their facilities and their resources to help the greater community that is in need. Churches are at our best when we look out-ward and see how we can serve our neighbors. I think we really work on giving people a glimpse of heaven—a place of hope, love and grace--when we choose to stop looking at one another and start looking outward asking: “how can we serve our neighbors today? “
Local churches will start finding ways to serve our greater community once they have their power restored. The United Methodist Church also has an agency, UMCOR, to always remind us that there is worthwhile work to engage in that goes beyond just the properties we own (or lease). I’ve worked with UMCOR in strengthening communities and alleviating human suffering (two of their 4 missional goals). I’ve witnessed UMCOR come and help rebuild Houston.
We rally around the needs of the community and people and that need surpasses our political, theological and ideological differences. We gather together for one goal and purpose: to help a neighbor in need.
The UMC doesn’t use this time to offer conditional help. I’ve personally witnessed faith-based organization who help under certain conditions ranging from requirement to attend their worship service to listening to proselytizing elevator pitch after the work is done. (Listen, I wish I was making this up).
In Exodus, we get this little blurb: Moses told this to the Israelites. But they didn’t listen to Moses, because of their complete exhaustion and their hard labor. (Exodus 6:9, CEB). The “this” is Moses telling his people about what God sent him to do — and the folks couldn’t (or maybe didn’t want to) listen because they were exhausted.
Healing comes first
Jesus often offered healing first without conditions.
So I’m thankful that UMCOR and the Methodist people always seem to offer help first and foremost.
We offer help first. In our helping, we establish connections and relationships. With established connection, we exchange stories. In our stories we may discover just how much we have in common. A seed is planted.
We offered a blessing. By blessing, I mean that we allowed the person to breathe a little bit easier — even if it was for a minute. And then we trust in God to do the rest.
During times like this, our goal is to help people get their life back together, not to create church members to sit in our pews. And UMCOR always seeks to alleviate human suffering and strengthen communities first.
Please pray for us in Houston. This is only the beginning of our hurricane season. Millions of people are still without power.
In the meantime, ask God how you can be a blessing to someone today, and every day. I know this is such a lame Christianese cliché, but I believe it to be true: The best ability is availability. Showing up goes a long way. Showing up and making yourself wholly available for how God may move with, in, and through you?
That can truly bless someone.
Joseph Yoo is the author When the Saints Go Flying in. He is a West Coaster at heart contently living in Houston, Texas with his wife and son. He serves at Mosaic Church in Houston. Find more of his writing at josephyoo.com.
