Flood

This morning as I was reading through my devotional books, I read from Psalm 93, which contains these words: 

The seas have lifted up, Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.

As I read those words, I glanced down at the newspaper on my desk which had a photo of a woman being carried to safety through the floodwaters that had overwhelmed her home in Houston.  Hurricane Harvey did a number on my new home state this week.  

Thousands of people who live on Texas' coast are homeless today, millions are without power. In some areas of Houston there will be over four feet of rain by the time the storm finally moves northward.  

This week we have seen the waters of the sea lift up their pounding waves, the rivers overflow and the rain fall in historic amounts.  I am sure it feels like it will never stop for those who have been in the midst of it for these past several days.  

Some of you may not be facing a physical storm with wind and rain right now, but you feel like the storms are never going to stop.  It might even feel like you are chest-deep in water with no end in sight.  

I want to encourage you with the words that I continued to read from Psalm 93 that came right after the verse about the pounding waves of the sea.  The Psalmist writes:  

Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the Lord on high is mighty.

The rain might be falling, the waters might be rising, but the Lord of the storm, the Commander of the waves is near.  Do not be afraid, whatever storm you are facing will not last forever.  The sun will rise, and the waters will subside, and peace will land upon you like a dove. 

Because the Lord on high is mighty.  

And you are not alone.  

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.