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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
"Life After The Flood"
April 7, 2010
I think it was extremely funny that a baby boy named Noah left the
hospital last Tuesday in the midst of the worst flooding Connecticut has
seen in many decades. Maybe it was a sign. As many of us were bailing,
pumping and standing knee deep in water God was reminding us that he
heard our cries.
On Thursday afternoon I was out with Rabbi Charles Arian and as we
drove by the offices of Nutmeg Mechanical on New London Turnpike.
Charles asked me if I minded stopping by to check in on one of his
congregants. They suffered a total loss when a wall caved in against the
pressure of flood waters. We listened as they retold the nightmare they lived
through.
My heart went out to them as we drove away. What do you do after a
disaster like that? How do you recover? During the week I heard many
families share stories of flooding in their basements that destroyed family
rooms, shut down furnaces and wreaked havoc as wave after wave of
water came rushing in.
On Saturday night I turned on the television and began watching the Ten
Commandments. That's when I was reminded that the answer to my
question could be found in our faith. Down through history God has shown
time and again that He hears our prayers. Moses was the answer to a
nation's prayer for deliverance. He came and led the people out of bondage
into freedom.
How many times have you prayed for something and then been able to
turn around and praise God for the blessing that followed? God is good. He
has delivered on his promises time after time. Usually it is only in hindsight
that we realize it though. When we look back we can see his hands were
there holding us up and carrying us through.
God never promised life would be easy. He did promise that He would be
with us if we invited him to come along. King David said it best in Psalm
18. "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my
rock, in whom I take refuge."
God promises to stand beside us in the deep waters of trouble that threaten
to overcome us and He encourages us not to be afraid. If there is anything
that I take away from Easter every year it is this: If God can turn the cruel
tragedy of the cross into a redemptive act of victory and resurrection then
He can handle our situations as well. Nothing is impossible for God.
So look up and you will see the face of God. He is with you. The storm
has passed and I pray His grace will carry you through to an unexpected
blessing in the days ahead.
God Bless! See you in church. Cal
April 7, 2010
I think it was extremely funny that a baby boy named Noah left the
hospital last Tuesday in the midst of the worst flooding Connecticut has
seen in many decades. Maybe it was a sign. As many of us were bailing,
pumping and standing knee deep in water God was reminding us that he
heard our cries.
On Thursday afternoon I was out with Rabbi Charles Arian and as we
drove by the offices of Nutmeg Mechanical on New London Turnpike.
Charles asked me if I minded stopping by to check in on one of his
congregants. They suffered a total loss when a wall caved in against the
pressure of flood waters. We listened as they retold the nightmare they lived
through.
My heart went out to them as we drove away. What do you do after a
disaster like that? How do you recover? During the week I heard many
families share stories of flooding in their basements that destroyed family
rooms, shut down furnaces and wreaked havoc as wave after wave of
water came rushing in.
On Saturday night I turned on the television and began watching the Ten
Commandments. That's when I was reminded that the answer to my
question could be found in our faith. Down through history God has shown
time and again that He hears our prayers. Moses was the answer to a
nation's prayer for deliverance. He came and led the people out of bondage
into freedom.
How many times have you prayed for something and then been able to
turn around and praise God for the blessing that followed? God is good. He
has delivered on his promises time after time. Usually it is only in hindsight
that we realize it though. When we look back we can see his hands were
there holding us up and carrying us through.
God never promised life would be easy. He did promise that He would be
with us if we invited him to come along. King David said it best in Psalm
18. "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my
rock, in whom I take refuge."
God promises to stand beside us in the deep waters of trouble that threaten
to overcome us and He encourages us not to be afraid. If there is anything
that I take away from Easter every year it is this: If God can turn the cruel
tragedy of the cross into a redemptive act of victory and resurrection then
He can handle our situations as well. Nothing is impossible for God.
So look up and you will see the face of God. He is with you. The storm
has passed and I pray His grace will carry you through to an unexpected
blessing in the days ahead.
God Bless! See you in church. Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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