WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE

The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their waves.
The Lord on high is mightier than
the noise of many waters, yea, than the
mighty waves of the sea.
Psalm 93:3,4

For someone in another country, he might not be able to picture floods and hurricane activity that many in our country have been experiencing. I realize other countries have such but it just seems like our country has been hit in some unusual ways as of late. There are prognosticators, some spiritual in nature and some not, who seem to know all the reasons for such events. The simple fact is that nothing has happened in our country or elsewhere that would cause our sovereign God to say, “Ooops...I didn't catch that one.” We don't understand the why's of devastating events nor should we try to figure those things out. I just know that there is nothing of any kind that can touch my life without those things first filtering through the fingers of God.

My husband and I have a daughter and family living in Tampa, Florida. This past weekend, they let us know they would be staying in their home during the hurricane activity. We gave our children to God a long time ago and trust Him completely with them in the palm of his hand. May I say from the momma part of me that there's still something in me that wants to go to the rescue of my children. Again though, some precious word kept running through my mind in it all, “Trust Jesus...trust Me.” Even though I know there must have been other family and loved ones feeling what I was, they too were concerned for all of our recent flood and hurricane-affected loved ones. Despite being a part of that special fraternity, I was still feeling like an “only one.”

This past Sunday was a tough day. I knew the Florida hurricane was going to begin to hit hard that afternoon where our children are living. With our children on my mind, I was praying almost incessantly. Our music pastor came before our congregation with some words literally from the Lord. Sam is a man very sensitive to the things of Scripture and ministers more to us than he can know. He asked for a show of hands of any present who had loved ones in Florida and the oncoming hurricane. I was amazed as I tried to look a little around me to see so many hands raised. For one thing, I now saw I wasn't the only person feeling a very deep concern...I was in good company.

After that recognition of my friends in common, Sam read to us the above verses. I know I've read that Psalm more times than I can count, but all of a sudden, they came to life for me. Could there be verses more graphic to the situation we all found ourselves concerned about. How precious those verses are to me even now. Grateful, too, for Sam's sensitivity for bringing to many of us a reminder of our God who is never out of control.

As I have read those verses over and over, I'm thinking of some folks I know who aren't even getting their feet wet, but who feel some waves of life completely overtaking them. Those waves can be anything from cancer to financial problems, a negative doctor's report or a wayward child breaking a parents heart. Those waves can seem as loud as any stormy waves beating a shore or winds that slam a family home, sounds most deafening. Those waves make themselves heard with almost every breath one takes. They just won't stop. Such waves don't seem to decrease but increase in pitch to the point we feel overwhelmed, drowning in a deluge from which we can't seem to escape.

Physical, watery waves may be something we can't do much about until God and nature take care of the water situations. We know water and waves can do a great deal of damage. The waves of life we face can also do damage and be destructive. However, we have a distinct advantage in that we have a Heavenly Father who is Sovereign, in control and can handle anything life's waves throw at us. He speaks and works above the noise and although we may be inconvenienced for a time, He always knows what He's doing. His love never changes and His presence is constant.

No matter our waves, I pray we will be able to see some good and growth in it all. In the highest wave of life, we might be surprised at the blessings lurking below. Such might sound impossible, but I smile as I think of the places in my life where I saw my Heavenly Father at work in my waves and realized the blessings in the waves that were there.

Father, thank You for your protection and presence in my life. I know there will be waves in this world that will overcome me at times. I know You have only my best interest at heart. I'm so grateful for the assurance You are in control of all things. In Jesus' precious name...Amen