A Prayer for Texas

We often stand in awe before your creation, O God,

mesmerized by both its beauty and its power.

The wind and the rain that has engulfed Texas
reminds us of the ferocity of natural forces
as well as of our reliance upon you.

We pray for the victims of wind, rain, and flooding

along the Texas coast, especially the residents of Houston.

We pray for their safety and the safety of first responders.

In the midst of such natural disasters

help not refer to them  as “Acts of God,”

or see them as instruments of your judgment
upon those who are suffering from the storm,

or even your grace
shed upon those who escape while their neighbors don’t.

Rather, help us see them as weather events
that are part of the natural state of our living planet. Amen.