Here Comes the Flood

“To keep ourselves is a work too hard for us: Only God Himself is able to preserve us in such an evil world.” – C.H. Spurgeon

Back in the early 1990s, our family was living in a small Cape Cod in Pennsauken, New Jersey. We loved that old house, which was built in the 1940s, but it was a real “handyman’s special” when we first bought it. However, after a lot of hard work and TLC, it became one of the nicest homes on the block.

The block itself was built on an incline, with our house being about halfway up the hill. We never thought much about that until one summer day when a torrential rain hit our area. In less than one hour, we received more than six inches of rain, which overwhelmed the drainage system at the bottom of the block. Slowly but surely, water started to back up until basements – and even some porches – were flooded.

At one point, I walked down the street to check on our neighbors at the bottom of the hill. By the time I arrived at Matt and Polly’s house, the ankle-deep water had become knee-high… and then waist-high. After offering to help where I could, I hustled back to check on my own house and my own family.

Compared to Matt and Polly’s situation, our home was in relatively good shape. However, the well outside of our basement window was rapidly filling up with water and straining against the glass. I quickly pushed against the window, trying my best to hold back the increasing water pressure. But after about 10 minutes or so, my arms grew tired, and I shouted for Deanna and our three kids to get out of the way. No sooner did I leave go, but the window burst, and rainwater poured in. Before the storm was over, we had several inches of rain throughout our basement.

My inability to brace that window against a torrent of rain reminded me of how impossible it would be for me to maintain my own salvation. After all, I am human and can only resist the spiritual onslaughts of Satan and his demons for so long. At some point, I need to “let go and let God.”

The bottom line is this: I didn’t save myself (see Ephesians 2:8-9); it was God who performed that miraculous work, and I cannot keep it either. And so, I am content to allow the Redeemer of my soul to act as its Preserver, too.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of salvation.” Ephesians 4:30 (NKJV)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President