A Flood is Coming

 

This week as I watched the news I wasn’t surprised to hear a few communities are anticipating high waters this spring due to the amount of snow we have received, the recent rain and the melting conditions.  Communities have been busy preparing sandbags, reinforcing levies, and coming up with disaster plans to deal with the high waters.   What surprised me was that in one community, the city officials are unwilling to allow citizens to sandbag and reinforce the levy.  The reason, they said, is that the levy is too old and deteriorated.  If I was a resident of this community I would be furious. 

 

Other communities, like the Fargo Moorhead area have been preparing sandbags and flooding plans well in advance.  To say that the levy is in too poor of a condition to be repaired seems like a horrible excuse.  How it got that way—I am not certain—but I am sure it isn’t something that happened overnight.  I can only guess that the community ignored the condition of its levy over the years as it didn’t appear to be needed.  Now that a flood is coming, nearby residents are operating out of high anxiety to prepare their homes for the waters that seem sure to come.

 

I am sure you have heard the story about the man who was notified a flood was coming and chose to remain in his home telling the police officer, “Don’t worry God will save me.”  A few days later the waters had risen and the man had to move to the second story of his home to escape the waters.  A Sheriff came by in a boat and offered to help but again the man replied, “Don’t worry, God will save me.”  Again the waters rose and this time a helicopter was sent to pull this man off of his roof.  But the man refused, shouting back, “Don’t worry God will save me.”  Finally the waters overcame the man and he died.  When he appeared before God, he asked God, “what happened?”  To which God replied, “I sent a warning, a boat, a helicopter and you refused my help.  What else was I supposed to do?”

 

Last week I emphasized the importance of working out our spiritual muscles.  This week I am again reminded of the importance of preparing ourselves for what is to come.  We may not know when, but the floodwaters will come.  We may not know what crisis will cause the levy to break, but life has taught us it will and in those moments, will we be prepared to respond in faith, or will we cry out, “God where are you?” 

 

Like those making preparations for the coming high waters, our faith calls us to action.  It isn’t enough just to pray occasionally to God about a concern or a need; God wants us to pray fervently every day.  It isn’t enough just to flip open the bible and read a section of scripture; God wants us to study it, look at it in its larger context and hear the story God is sharing.  It isn’t enough to give up something for a period of time as our Lenten discipline, God wants us to practice self-control every day of our life.  I encourage you to keep building those spiritual muscles—keep making preparations—and keep discovering God in your life every day.

 

In Christ’s Service,

 

Pastor Gordon

 

PS.  If you might be interested in joining a team from Little Prairie to help sandbag or provide flood relief, please reply to this email and we will do our best to keep you informed of volunteer opportunities. 

 

Don’t forget about our upcoming Fish Supper on Friday, March 26 from 3-8:00pm.  Advance reservations are needed and can be obtained by calling Jim Bull at 507-645-8879.

 

Phone: 507-663-6150

E-mail: pastor@littleprairieumc.org