As The Waters Rise

For several weeks rain has been coming down upon the United Kingdom in torrents.  In the southwest, whole villages have been evacuated as flood waters take over towns.  Railway lines have been washed away, 80,000 homes are right now without power, herds of cows have been wonderfully rescued before drowning, high winds have blown away roofs and chimneys — and — more rain is on the way!

As I watched the news reports about the damage done by wind and flooding, I began to think of the sheer power of water.  I began, too, to try and imagine what it must have been like to be in the ark with Noah and his family and all those animals.  I wonder what it felt like as the rain crashed to the earth, and the rivers burst the banks, lifting the giant ark from it’s resting place?  Was there fear inside the ark as the waters caused the craft to lurch to the right and heave to the left?  Were their hearts in their throats as the ark swayed and bobbed, floating away into — they did not know what!  What would tomorrow bring them?  They had no idea at all.  All they knew of a certainty was that God Himself had closed the door to the ark.  He Himself had sealed them inside.

I find this reminder such a comfort.  We all have situations in which hardship rains down upon us, and floods of trouble swirl around our once peaceful worlds.  Our boats of safety get knocked about on unchartered waters.  Like Noah and his family, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, where our boat will end up, and for how long the storms will lash out in fury.  However, also like Noah, we are assured of one thing — God Himself has shut the door to our personal ark.  He has sealed us inside.  He will never leave us or forsake us.  We may be bashed and dashed, but we will not be destroyed, for the Lord Himself will hold our boat, bringing us safely to shore.

God promised to never flood the earth again.  Likewise, He promises to never allow anything into our lives without also giving us His own strength and courage and peace to get us through.  We are sealed and protected.  We are safe in His arms no matter the raging waters of life’s storms that toss our boat into trouble and the unknown.

I love the words of Jesus when He said, “…Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

Since Jesus has overcome the world, and since He lives in us by His Spirit, then we, too, are overcomers.  Let us remember then, when our personal arks are floating away in floods of trouble — don’t look at the water; look at the One who closed your door of safety.