The Tide is Rising

  Easter Sunday in Buja.  Church is packed almost to overflowing.  At some point during the worship time, the rain started.  A drizzle at first.  Soon, however, the floodgates open.  The only word in English equivalent to the torrential downpour occuring outside is deluge. 

            The rain is hitting the corrugated roof with such force that I can’t hear the pastor some 30 feet away through a massive sound system.  The soundman increases the gain until the speakers are humming and the sound-system straining.  To no avail- he might as well be a pantomime even though he is shouting at the top of his lungs into the microphone.

            An hour later, I look into parking lot to see at least 6 inches of water on the ground.  The rain continues with such force that it is impossible to see further than 10 feet.  The parking lot quickly rises to a foot.  Pastor decides it would be a good idea to close the service.  Too late. It's rising quickly. The water suddenly begins pouring into the sanctuary.

            Absolute pandemonium erupts! “Save the soundboard” cries one.  “The speakers-lift them off the ground” shouts another.  And it's still rising. “Help my shoes are getting wet” cries the pastor’s wife.  Two hundred people are running all over the place trying to find higher ground.  And it's still rising.  Stacking plastic chairs on top of each other they quickly build little towers to climb up on in order to escape the rising water.

            By 12.30 the water is almost a meter deep in the parking lot and well over a foot in the sacturary.  And still rising.  I can’t resist anymore. I run out into the floodwaters to fetch my camera (see the pics on FB). I almost get swept away by the torrent raging in the street on what has to be the most memorable Easter service I have been part of.

            Last night I read from Isaiah 60:  “the Glory of the Lord rises upon you…see darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rise upon you and His glory appears over you.”  

Without question thick and terrible spiritual darkness covers the naitons of the earth.  The promise here, however,  is that God is going to send a GLORY flood into His people’s lives- His presence, His power, and His provision to reach these nations with the Light (v. 3).  My prayer and cry is: "Oh Lord let it rise in my life and in your church!"