(You may have had bad news fatigue concerning the Guadalupe River Flood from July 4, 2025. This newsletter article is from Sunday School on July 3. We discussed the topic of God and tragedies. I pointed out that one thing that was missing from all the coverage is how Jesus responds to natural tragedies. The text is Luke 13:1-5 and Jesus’ call to repentance.)

The Guadalupe River Flood July 2025

If you’ve never spent time in the Texas hill country area west of Austin and San Antonio, you are missing out on some of the most beautiful scenery. Beyond the gentle rolling hills, you will also find crystal clear rivers, natural swimming holes and natural caverns that will cause you to pause and give thanks to God for such beauty. Even more, the geography seems to also promote a kind of attitude among Texans in the area. They are laid back, friendly and willing to help you at the drop of the hat. Don’t believe me? Try this experiment…whenever you are say, 2 to 3 miles off the major highways, when you see a pickup truck approaching in oncoming traffic or a Lincoln Towncar, raise a couple fingers on your hand in the 12 o’clock position on your steering wheel and you are guaranteed to get a friendly “howdy” salute back.

It is this attitude and setting that makes the flood of July 2025 all the more difficult to handle. Such a peaceful and serene setting seems to be the most unfitting place for so much destruction and death. But those beautiful limestone cliffs and sparkling stalactites and stalagmites don’t form with gentle streams flowing. If you look closer at the geography you notice that this scenery was only possible because nature is violent. Indiscriminately violent. I can’t say this because I’m a geologist, but I’ve experienced the violence on occasion and have heard from old ranchers and farmers wives the stories of the past that have caused so much damage.

While you are in the hill country stop at a peach and watermelon stand and strike up a conversation with the seller. Ask about past summers and floods and you will hear story upon story. Dead cattle, washed away tractors and water that “Came less than two feet from the back screen door destroyed all my tomato plants and the corn was all knocked down.”

So, what do we say? What do we do? First, as many generations before us have done, we must flee to our refuge. We must call upon our merciful and all mighty God to hear our prayers. We must lament and express our sorrows with tears and repentance. But also remember what we say in the explanation to the 5th Petition in The Lord’s Prayer, “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

What does this mean? — Answer.

We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor deny such petitions on account of them; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much, and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So will we verily, on our part, also heartily forgive and also readily do good to those who sin against us.

We forget that because of sin no one deserves to survive any tragedy. We forget how wicked sin truly is. How violent sin is. How rebellious. Jer. 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

St. Paul writes in 1 Cor 2:14, Eph. 2:1, Romans 5:12,8:7, 20-22, Gal. 5:17. Jesus further teaches in John 8:44, Luke 13:1-5. The Luke 13 reading shows us what Jesus would have us do in the face of calamity, repent. Jesus doesn’t give any philosophical explanation, nor does he find someone to blame for the bad architecture design or Pilate’s burning anger.

But we want an explanation and in the worst case we want God to explain himself, or at least someone to blame. We put God in the witness stand and ask him to explain why. “Why would God do this?” We put God on trial and ask him to justify himself to us. This is a term called “theodicy. ” This comes from the Greek words “theos” meaning God and “dika” meaning judgement.

Theodicy is the reversing of roles where man demands God come to him and explain himself. Like a child asking a parent to explain to them why they can’t be lazy and play on their phone all day long.

From the beginning theodicy draws into question the goodness of God and places us on a higher plain. We make ourselves to be more righteous than God. That only if we agree and judge God to be right, only then will we be satisfied.

It is a trap of doubt and unbelief that is easier to slip into than at other times. When the death of children is the result of a tragedy it becomes all the easier to demand God excuse his behavior. Repentance though is the antidote to this pride and arrogance.

Repentance and falling on our knees recognizing we are not God. We do not know what is always best and many times we are 180 degrees off what is truly good.

Repentance lets go of the prideful assumption that we are in control. The loss of possessions, popularity or even our loved ones is not the worst tragedy that can happen, it is the giving up of our faith.

So, indeed, stop at the watermelon stands and the peach orchards or just go into the Piggly Wiggly. Hear the stories of tragedy. But keep listening because they will also share how they made it through. “How did you make it with so much lost?”

“Well, I reckon the Good Lord has kept me alive so far and when my time comes, I trust my soul and body to his care. He gave his life for me.”

You will hear the confession of maybe not an academic answer but a faithful trust in the mercy of God that has been forged over years. Years of prayer for rain in the dry hot Texas summers and then prayers of mercy when the floods come. By experience they have seen the violence, but they also know that God works all things for the good of those who believe. Something beautiful comes from violence and tragedy. But for the Christian that’s nothing in new. For we live constantly with the beautiful tragedy of the cross before our eyes.

As the 5th verse in Abide With Me says;

“Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.”

Violence brings something beautiful in the waters of baptism. St. Peter compares Noah’s flood to baptism 1 Peter 3:20-22. Baptism is a violent act of God. He is drowning your sinful flesh and raising you to new life, Romans 6:1-11. The flood that fateful 4th of July was a violent taking of life but for those who had already been put to death with Christ for them it was not the end but the way in which Christ brought them to their eternal inheritance.

We do not get to choose when we cross the finish line of our race in the faith. God does. You did not choose how nor when you were born, God does. Our days are in his hands. It is tempting to think we will decide how our death will take place because we so often fear death more than God. Or perhaps I should say we fear suffering more than God. But we should fear, love and trust in God above all things. He knows our weaknesses and fears and still forgives and cares for you. He knows when a hair falls from your head.

Many people have gone through tragedies and have experienced the mercy of God. It is the cross of Christ that shows God’s unfailing and overabundant mercy. That the son of God gave his life for your sins so that nothing can separate you from his love. His resurrection from the dead shows his victory over death. One of the images that stands out in the aftermath are the big Texas trees that had their bark torn off by the water rushing through. Giant trees also just uprooted and tossed about like toothpicks. Survivors recounting how they would grab onto trees and climb up thinking they were safe, only to find the once stable and strong tree begin to be knocked over. They had to then swim against the floods to find another tree. One survivor recounts how this happened so many times they were ready to give up.

The cross stands as the tree that will never fall. We must cling to that tree where the son of God gave his life for the life of the world not only when we suffer but also when the suffering of others becomes so heavy. It is then we too, perhaps today, but definitely in the future, when we are asked about the various trials we’ve gone through can also tell others of God’s faithfulness to us. It might not be at a fruit stand on the side of the road, but God will give you opportunity to witness to others.

So, it is not only our generation that benefits from hearing the gospel from those before us, but we will also
remember Psalm 145,
“One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
7They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
8The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

See you on Sunday...
In Christ,
Pastor Ottmers