Jump Start # 1922

Genesis 7:4 “For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every living that that I have made.”

The devastation that is taking place in Texas these past few days takes our minds to the Bible and the greatest flood of all time. We see what just several days of rain has done to Houston. Some have said that the current Texas flood is an “800 year flood,” happening once every 800 years. Noah’s flood was a once in a forever flood. There would never be a flood like Noah’s again.

Our verse reminds us that Noah and his family went into the ark a week before the rains started. For a week, all was fine. For a week, neighbors must have thought, “Where’s the rain?” For a week, the world continued on. In Matthew it says that they were marrying, eating and drinking and not understanding until the flood came.

As bad as the Texas flood was, it didn’t impact us in Indiana. I was outside yesterday pulling weeds in the sunshine, while it was still pouring rain in Texas. We’ll get some rain today, but we need it.

As bad as the Texas flood was, a massive rebuilding program will help the citizens recover. Donations are pouring in. The federal government has promised to help. Things are already moving to get things back to normal as soon as the waters recede. That didn’t happen in Noah’s day. When Noah left the ark, there was no one on the earth except his family. In many ways, Noah was the new Adam.

As bad as the Texas flood was, it was the results of a stalled hurricane. It was an unusual weather phenomenon. Noah’s flood was the wrath of God poured out upon a sinful world. God saw only Noah as the righteous one in a corrupt world. I’ve been to Texas several times. I going again very soon. There are hundreds and hundreds of righteous people who walk with the Lord and love Him.

The Texas flood reminds us that man is limited in what he can do. Hurricane Harvey was predicted, yet no one had the power to turn it, stop it, or make it go away. The rains fell and no one could stop it. The floods rose and no one could stop it. With all of our wisdom, power and technology, we are still very limited. We can’t make or stop solar eclipses. We can’t control the wind or the rain. We can prolong life to a certain degree, but we can’t stop death. There are powers and forces around us that are greater than we are. We tend to forget this until there is a disaster. Then we realize how powerless we really are.

The Texas floods also remind us of Jesus’ words, “The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house, and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.” The storms Jesus was talking about were not physical nor connected to a hurricane, but the storms we all endure in life. Disappointments, bad news, death, tragedy, heart ache—the loss of jobs. The loss of loved ones. These storms are hard to endure but when we are founded upon the rock, we can withstand.

What is interesting about Jesus’ words about the two foundations, is that both homes suffered from the same storm. They both had rain, wind and flood. One stood and the other collapsed. This shows us the power of the rock, which is Christ. You and a neighbor, or, you and a co-worker, or, you and another family member, may encounter the same storm. For those not built upon Christ, those storms will crush them. They will be destroyed. They may not recover. For those walking with Christ, the storms are hard, but they will not be ruined. The images of people walking in waist deep water carrying someone in the arms, and the look of shock and loss in their eyes, filled the newscasts yesterday. Yet, all around us are those same images. Not physical, but emotional and spiritual. A young mother hears the words that her husband is leaving her for someone else. Her world has suddenly changed. The storms are hitting her hard. A man hears the dreaded words, “cancer.” His world has suddenly changed. The storms are hitting hard. A person finds out at work that they are no longer needed there. They have lost their job. His world has suddenly changed. The storms are hitting hard. Each of these people have the same questions raising through their minds. What will I do? The young mother is thinking divorce. The man with cancer is thinking death. The worker who lost his job is thinking bankruptcy. Devastating and crushing news. It’s enough to destroy anyone. For many, it will. But for those who have built a life on Christ, there are sure answers and sure help. They will continue on with the Lord. They will surround themselves with Scriptures. They will flood Heaven with prayers. They will seek the advice and wisdom of Godly people. They will survive. They will not be ruined or crushed by this. God, with His people, will get them through these storms. They will have scars. It will be difficult. Lessons will be learned. Tears will flow. But they will survive. The storms come and eventually the storms leave. The house stood because of what happened before the storm. Choices were made to follow Christ. Decisions and commitments were made that lead to righteousness. When the storms came, they didn’t start praying, they had been praying all along. They didn’t start worshipping God because of the storms, they had been worshipping all along. The storms drew them closer to the Lord and to God’s people.

The Texas floods reminds us that we too have storms in our lives. Some may be going through them right now. Whether or not you get through the storms safely is determined by your faith and love in the Lord. Have you built that foundation upon the rock. Looking at what is going on in Houston, reminds us that it’s a little late to start building a foundation, when the water is rising, the rain is blowing and you are trying to hold the door shut. The time to build that foundation is in the sunshine. The time to build is before the storms gather. Each week, those dedicated preachers that are pouring their hearts out, are not just giving you lectures and facts. They are handing you a brick. A brick to build that foundation. We leave the church building with a smile and a “good sermon, preacher.” But is that as far as it goes? What do we do with that brick that was just handed to us. Some day, that storm will come to us, and if we haven’t built that foundation, it will be too late.

Build your lives upon Christ. Only in Jesus, can we withstand the most powerful storms. What great lessons we can learn from floods in Texas!

Roger