Flood My LIfe

There's been several floods this week. It flooded today in Wilmington in more ways than one. Parts of College Road were under several inches of water. And parts of the road I've traveled on and many of my close friends have traveled on are under several inches of...well floods of different sorts.

This week and the last have been challenging for several friends of mine. They're taking things well. They've been reminded of life and all it's joys. A newborn baby, a father who passed from one life to the next, a wife who suddenly became ill and is now miraculously better...Standing up under a flood of seemingly incomprehensible news, both sad and joyful. My friends have done well. Christ is their strength. It's so evident in their lives and their responses. Life comes like a flood sometimes.

Can we ever get enough of God? On one level, yes. When we encounter Christ and he abides within us, we become his. We receive the Holy Spirit as a future guarantee of greater things to come. (Eph 1:13). On another level, we are encouraged to constantly seek God, to continually grow, to tap into the fire hydrant of God's love and character. (Eph 3:14-19). The flood of suffering and joy are a part of the process God takes us all through.

My friend recently prayed, "He must increase, I must decrease." (John 3:30) That made me ask, "So there is more of God for my life?" Yes. There is more of God for the one who seeks passionately the Creator God. God doesn't change. We only get closer to him so that we might become more and more overwhelmed with his glory.

The floods of life often surprise us. Yet in them all, God's glory and character are revealed. I'm so aware of God flooding my week as I see others go through a flood. It's encouraging to see them stand and stand strong. Hopefully you'll see others go through times of flooding and have a chance to stand with them also. God's there in their midst. He brings the flood. But He also brings Himself.

Tax Free

This past weekend we made the round of stores and bought some much needed items for our growing, rambunctious, wide-eyed little boy. It was a small but welcome relief from regular "prices." It reminds me of a passage in Isaiah 55, and speaks of what Christ offers us, without price:

55:1 “Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.

May we fill up on the living water that Christ offers to all, which cost us nothing, and cost God his Son.

Handed A Baby Though A Window

I'll never forget it. Driving down the interstate with friends to sit with a student in a hospital several hours away, I came upon an accident that just happened moments earlier. I slowed down my vehicle as fast and safely as possible, only to discover the family was still in the over turned van, windows shattered, would be good samaritans frantic in their efforts to help. It was like I was thrust into the accident scene itself. It still replays so slowly in my mind, First Aid kit in hand, with no idea how any of it would help the chaos. There were immediate shouts to get the babies out. Prayers for wisdom rushing through my head. God what do I do!? More than one baby? One was terrifying, more than one was hard to bare if they weren't rescued soon. I joined with several other men, the smell of gasoline pierced my nostrils, not knowing when things were going to go up, in rolling the van right side up.

At that moment, a baby was handed out the window, to my left. The image of seeing a 3 month old's legs unscathed by the wreckage being handed to the person beside me, as we were grunting to push the van over was surreal and refreshing to see the baby unharmed. The other child had a cut on the forehead, and he was pulled out with the childseat screaming. EMS still hadn't arrived. Adults were still in the van. I helped pull the mother out of the van, my friends were on the side of the van helping others out.

As we rolled the van over, to my horror another man was about to be crushed by the van, so 10 men pulled the van back enough for him to move. He was inside the van, trying to help the occupants out. None of us knew too much about rescue, but we knew we must get the occupants away from the potential inferno. Gasoline was everywhere.

EMS arrived, stabilized all the victims, who were removed safely at this point. One victim on the other side was only moving her head, while her body lay motionless. I prayed as hard as I knew how. God help this family!

On the way to the hospital to see a student, all of us were silent for quite some time. Knowing that we were placed there at the scene to help. We prayed for the family.

One thing all this did to me, was to realize that people need our help, and we must be willing to stop our "plans" to help. We had planned to help a friend who needed us. Instead we helped those who needed us sooner. Another thing I realized was the precious value of life. None of us know when a tire will blow or what the outcome will be. Hold your family and friends close to you. Take nothing for granted. Love God and others fiercely.