floods

Rain, Rain, Go Away

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  “When you face stormy seas I will be there with you with endurance and calm;
        you will not be engulfed in raging rivers.
    If it seems like you’re walking through fire with flames licking at your limbs,
        keep going; you won’t be burned.
    Because I, the Eternal One, am your God.
        I am the Holy One of Israel, and I will save you” (Isaiah 43:2-3, The Voice).

I never thought I’d say it, but I’m actually relieved that the weekend is just about over.

It has rained literally all weekend long and Monday promises to bring sunshine, so I say bring on Monday!

All this rain reminds me of nearly seven years ago when Nashville had a long period of substantial rainfall that turned into a flood that significantly impacted the city and surrounding areas.

I still remember not being able to get out of my subdivision due to the road being flooded. I remember seeing parts of the city underwater and seeing portable school buildings floating down the interstate.

I remember above all a promise God made to never again flood the world, accompanied by the sign of a rainbow given to Noah and all who would follow after.

I remember that God told us not to fear even when the waters rise and the flames come because He said He’d be with us no matter what.

Thankfully, this weekend hasn’t been nearly that dramatic. No floods or flames, just rain. The worst I had to deal with was getting wet while walking to my car in the rain.

I take great comfort in knowing that no matter what happens, even the worst case scenarios that we all occasionally fear, nothing can separate me from the love of God. I have a Redeemer who knows how to walk on water to get to me.

 

May Day: Five Years Later

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“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you” (Isaiah 43″2a).

It happened five years ago. On that day, it started raining and didn’t let up for two whole days. And I don’t just mean a friendly little sprinkle. I mean a full-on deluge that resulted in some of the worst flooding that Nashville had ever seen.

They called it a 1,000 year flood. Perhaps, 1,000 years from now, people will still be talking about it. All I know is that I was there. I saw images of portable schoolrooms floating down the interstate. I saw pictures of downtown Nashville under water. I read about how the basement of the Ryman got flooded, along with Opryland Hotel, Opry Mills, and several other businesses and homes.

It’s still crazy to think about. So much changed because of those two days. So much was lost in terms of businesses and merchandise. But we survived. We’re still here.

Who knows what the next disaster will look like? Who knows what form it will take? A pastor I greatly admire once said that everybody is either in a storm, coming out of a storm, or going into a storm. Perhaps your next storm won’t be the kind with strong winds and heavy rains. But the same Jesus who bid the waves be still in the midst of the storm can calm your fears in the midst of your metaphorical storms as well.

I do remember how people got together to help those affected by the flooding. I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in some of the clean-up and witness firsthand what flood waters can do. I also witnessed firsthand what God can do through His people when they simply become available for God to use.