"I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh."
- Genesis 9:11-15 (ESV)
Over the last ten days here in North Florida we have weathered some of the heaviest rainfall that we've seen in quite a while. We have been very thankful for the rain because it comes at the end of a lengthy drought (from mid-winter all the way through May) and the land was parched and extremely thirsty.
But when the heavens finally opened up on us, the view from many was that this was too much and too fast and the complaints began to mount. It's truly amazing how weak we humans can be when we face a little problem. Our memory is quite short and we so often expect God to give us exactly what we want, no more and no less. Some were even making comparisons to the story of Noah's Ark and wondering if we were facing forty days of rain.
But here's the thing. The rains that Noah and his family and all of his animal guests faced were so monumental and so devastating that the entire earth was flooded and all living things except Noah and his living crew were extinguished. As hard as it rained here and as concerned as some were becoming as some properties became isolated by water were "just a drop in the bucket" by comparison. Yes, we had some minor inconveniences and yes, many forgot how miserable it was a few days earlier in the dust, looking at the dead grass and dying plants and crops, but God carried out His plan. And He carried it out His way and there is nothing we can do about it but accept what he gives. We have to trust Him to do what is best for us, even when we think otherwise.
Florida is truly a land of feast and famine when it comes to the long periods of rain followed by drought, and it is incumbent upon us to understand how the climate traditionally operates in our part of the world and live accordingly. Perhaps one of the reasons He allows it to continue as it does is to show us just what He can do whenever He wants. And if we are only smart enough to accept it, then we will live as we should in this land that was, after all, created by Him.
And there's one last thing to remember. No matter how great the rain may become, it will never completely reach the point that Noah and his crew faced, for God gave us the rainbow as a sign of His covenant with us that all living things would never be destroyed by water. Now there may be floods and such, and there may be death, but it will never be the end of life, for that is what God promised. And much of which happen because of our bad choices for where and how we build our homes, for He gives us signs through the lay of the land and the weather of what to expect.
So remember whenever the next tropical system comes, or the next frontal system stalls nearby and it rains and rains and rains some more, it is just a situation that we must live with and accept and thank Him for the gifts that it brings. For now that it has ended, and the sun has started to dry up the excess, the beauty of the green grass and the blossoming plants is breathtaking and meant to be savored. And we owe it all to Him.
Dear Lord, We thank you for the natural gifts that you provide us. And while we don't always understand the why and the how that you deliver them, instill in us the ability to learn and discern from them what it is you expect of us and to respond accordingly. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
- Genesis 9:11-15 (ESV)
Over the last ten days here in North Florida we have weathered some of the heaviest rainfall that we've seen in quite a while. We have been very thankful for the rain because it comes at the end of a lengthy drought (from mid-winter all the way through May) and the land was parched and extremely thirsty.
But when the heavens finally opened up on us, the view from many was that this was too much and too fast and the complaints began to mount. It's truly amazing how weak we humans can be when we face a little problem. Our memory is quite short and we so often expect God to give us exactly what we want, no more and no less. Some were even making comparisons to the story of Noah's Ark and wondering if we were facing forty days of rain.
But here's the thing. The rains that Noah and his family and all of his animal guests faced were so monumental and so devastating that the entire earth was flooded and all living things except Noah and his living crew were extinguished. As hard as it rained here and as concerned as some were becoming as some properties became isolated by water were "just a drop in the bucket" by comparison. Yes, we had some minor inconveniences and yes, many forgot how miserable it was a few days earlier in the dust, looking at the dead grass and dying plants and crops, but God carried out His plan. And He carried it out His way and there is nothing we can do about it but accept what he gives. We have to trust Him to do what is best for us, even when we think otherwise.
Florida is truly a land of feast and famine when it comes to the long periods of rain followed by drought, and it is incumbent upon us to understand how the climate traditionally operates in our part of the world and live accordingly. Perhaps one of the reasons He allows it to continue as it does is to show us just what He can do whenever He wants. And if we are only smart enough to accept it, then we will live as we should in this land that was, after all, created by Him.
And there's one last thing to remember. No matter how great the rain may become, it will never completely reach the point that Noah and his crew faced, for God gave us the rainbow as a sign of His covenant with us that all living things would never be destroyed by water. Now there may be floods and such, and there may be death, but it will never be the end of life, for that is what God promised. And much of which happen because of our bad choices for where and how we build our homes, for He gives us signs through the lay of the land and the weather of what to expect.
So remember whenever the next tropical system comes, or the next frontal system stalls nearby and it rains and rains and rains some more, it is just a situation that we must live with and accept and thank Him for the gifts that it brings. For now that it has ended, and the sun has started to dry up the excess, the beauty of the green grass and the blossoming plants is breathtaking and meant to be savored. And we owe it all to Him.
Dear Lord, We thank you for the natural gifts that you provide us. And while we don't always understand the why and the how that you deliver them, instill in us the ability to learn and discern from them what it is you expect of us and to respond accordingly. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
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