It’s hard to focus on regular daily tasks when your news feeds and social media hangouts are filled with terrible news like today’s: “deadly tornado devastates Oklahoma town.”

Our hearts go out to everyone affected—especially to families who lost precious children today. We hope you’ll join us in praying for this community—the victims, the rescue workers, and their families—in the days and weeks to come. Long after the headlines fade, the people of Oklahoma will need your prayers as they rebuild ravaged buildings and lives.

Although God’s Word is a powerful source of comfort at times like this, no Scripture verse or passage can magically erase the pain of grief and loss. But the Bible does teach us two important things about nature. First, that God’s authority extends even over the forces of nature, including storms and weather. (Mel Lawrenz recently shared some insight about God and storms.) Second, that while it remains under God’s control, the natural world restlessly awaits the day that God’s perfect kingdom will be realized.

And we too await that day—when terror and death, both man-made and nature-inflicted, will come to an end. In the meantime, there is work to be done: we can direct our prayers, talents, and resources toward helping the victims of tragedy, both in our home countries and around the world. And keep looking to the horizon:

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! — Revelation 22:20