“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came across the desert, struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you.” Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped. Job 1:18-20a

Job and his wife experienced both natural disasters, and raids from their enemies. Reading the first chapter in of the book of Job this week, was to be transported to images I’d just seen on CNN’s web page. One half of the page showed the overwhelming destruction of hurricane Helene, in the 500 Miles stretch through our Southern States. The other, and equally overwhelming picture, was of destruction in Lebanon, reminiscent of Gaza.

One, the aftermath of a hurricane, the other of devastating bombing. Regardless of the cause, the magnitude of loss is horrendous and soul crushing.

Today there are people experiencing horrific losses. Whole families have died. Survivors have lost family members, friends and neighbors along with  homes, businesses, and places of employment . . . All destroyed, washed away in floods, or bombed to oblivion.

Though different causes, they share a common grief and heartache. Our own hearts break with the toll of human suffering.

In the biblical book of Job, Job is patient until he is not. Having suffering multiple losses, including the deaths of beloved children, Job is broken.  Bewildered by circumstances he has no control over, he cries out to God. He cries for justice, for an accounting, and an end to his agony. Instead he encounters the absence of God and laments.

“If I go forward, God is not there;
or backward, I cannot perceive God,
on the left God hides . . . I turn to the right,
but I cannot see God.” Job 23:8-9

When our hearts are crushed, our world upended, and devastating losses accumulate, it can feel like God has abandoned us. We wonder if God cares, or if God is. Which is why it is so important that we show our care, when others are suffering.

For God’s love is most visible, when seen through the love of others, responding to the hurt, pain and the sorrow around us.   In the face of the World’s great suffering, our call is to respond with compassion, in whatever form, we are gifted to do.

May it be so, for each of us.