In times of rising waters

BY REV. DR. TIM HARMON - LAKE PARK FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The Lord is greater than the rushing waters even greater than the waves of the sea! (Psalm 93:4)

This summer so far has had a lot of raging waters here in the Iowa Great Lakes area: water over the road, too much water in the lake, rivers to capacity. Even now, there are folks throughout the area that are dealing with water in their basements and the after effects of water. Some crops have been wiped out as the land they should be on is still under water. And the mosquitos! Waters can indeed rage as flash floods or in the aftermath of their passing.
We at First Presbyterian in Lake Park just completed VBS with the Lake Park and Harris United Methodist Churches. The theme this year was about raging water and the promise was from Isaiah that even through the waters, God would be there. The kids learned about adventuring with God, standing boldly when things are hard, and letting Jesus’s peace into your hearts. Waters can rage as the weather or property damage, but waters can also rage in our lives with medical concerns, financial hardship, or relationship issues among a few things.
Waters can devastate us and create a new landscape. But — as the Psalm says — the Lord God is mightier than the most treacherous waters. God never leaves us, but gives us living water, parting the Jordan River for us in life and rescuing us from the raging waters.
One of the kids at VBS told me about a time she and her dad were in a canoe and it tipped over. She was scared and thought she might never get out of the water. Just as she went under the water, her dad reached her and with his strong hands lifted her out and back into the canoe.
"Do you know God does that too pastor?" the girl asked. "My daddy says God holds us in strong hands and pulls us out too. I am glad that God is with us in the water! It's too scary without Him."
So as you vacation and enjoy the Lakes, as you gather with family or go to work this summer, remember this —God will see you through the raging waters of your life! The Lord is mightier than anything raging in your life!