There can be no arguing the fact that the severe flooding in the America mid-west has been a major story in the news these past few weeks. There have been tragic stories of incredible loss yet in the midst of this tradgedy their have been amazing stories of survival. It can be easy for us to draw our attention to this crisis when pictures and stories are continually shown through the media…but my question is this…are we aware of the floods in our own lives that so easily surround us?
Life’s floods come in many forms; those major crises or disasters that carry away much of what we had been depending on. An illness maybe or a death can do that, a divorce can do it, a disaster, a broken relationship, the loss of your job. There are many upheavals that come rushing in and they change the landscape forever.
I love what the Psalmist wrote in chapter 46. “God is our refuge and strength; an ever present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (vs. 1-3).
We’re talking here about life’s major upheavals; everything you used to count on washed away. But remember, “God is our refuge and strength,” so we don’t have to fear those things. Why? Because when you’ve lost everything, you haven’t lost everything! It always amazes me when they interview people who have lost all their material possessions – the one response they all have is – “at least we are all alive – we can rebuild our home – but we can’t rebuild relationships.”
In the same way – when the floods of life recede we can be confident that we serve and love a God who never leaves and he never lets go of those who belong to Him.