Words by Andrew Pratt, 2013
Tune: VICAR by V. Earle Copes, 1963
Topical Reference: natural disaster; destruction; loss; grieving; suffering; death
British Methodist pastor and hymn writer Andrew Pratt composed this poignant, yet hopeful text in the aftermath of the devastating tornado in Oklahoma City on May 20, 2013. It recognizes the destruction and loss of human life that so often results from such natural disasters and asks, "And where is God when random death walks in…?" The last stanza answers the question: Christ suffers and God loves us through human loss and grieving, just as was the case at the crucifixion. The author suggests an alternative tune, INTERCESSOR.
"A Twisting Wind that Wreaks Such Devastation" (Sibelius format)