I’m at a meeting of the Board of Lutheran World Relief. So I don’t have a lot of time to write, but I do have a plenty of time to be in awe; in fact, I find myself in awe almost all the time while I’m here. In awe of the faithfulness and effectiveness of this talented, dedicated, and diverse staff that has committed itself to Micah’s injunction to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (6:8); In awe of the reach of the organization as it makes a difference in the lives of people, literally, all over the world. In awe of the impact and responsiveness of LWR to emergency...

Several years ago I wrote a short article for pastors on how to preach after a natural disaster – on that occasion it was the earthquake in Haiti – that came to mind after hearing the news of the devastation wrought in the Philippines by the typhoon that has just passed through there. It struck me that several elements of that piece might be more widely applicable, and so I’ve adapted it for this post. I think it’s important to stress that in the face of tragedy we are invited as Christians to be honest; this in at least two ways. First, the human tragedy and wreckage that natural disasters leave in their wake never fail to stun...