Stretching Me, Stretching You

I feel helpless ... It's been raining for days. Several in our congregation had their homes and lands flooded by the rains of Tropical Storm Debby. Although we are all grateful for the soft gentle rains that are filling the Floridan aquifer, and we are certainly very grateful that the “promised” winds did not materialize, we can't help but feel a little chagrined that there was still destruction. There is still a degree of upset. Here are a few examples:

One family who was supposed to move into their brand new house this week cannot because the rain water flooded it. It will have to be repaired before they can move in. So, moving into their dream home has been pushed a month further away. So close, so far.

Another family runs a business in a shop on their property. The shop was waist deep in water. This means all their equipment has been destroyed. They were rescued by other family members and taken to safety. When we last spoke, they did not know the condition of their house. Their “back-door neighbor's” house was covered with water to the roof.

I was sent pictures of a town 25 miles away. The entire downtown is under 3 feet of water. Roads buckled and crumbled. Sinkholes swallowed homes and cars as if they were toys. Many lost all they owned. Remarkably, only three fatalities in the whole state are attributable to the storm.

We are SO VERY GRATEFUL for the mercy extended by our loving heavenly Father. Although there are tears, fears and bewilderment, we are not beaten, we are not destroyed. We are being trained up. We are being tried. We are being stretched.

Several years ago, I read a book called “The Garden of Emuna” by Rabbi Shalom Arush. Emuna means 'faith' or 'trust' in Hebrew. The gist of the book is that things happen for a reason. We cannot see beyond this moment; we often don't remember what happened in the past. All that we know is 'now'. But YHVH Elohim knows all. He is well acquainted with our past and our future. He has our best interests at heart. Romans 8:28 says, “All things work for the good of those who love YHVH and are called according to His purpose.” We see the equipment and household furnishings ruined by the flood. He sees their replacements, or perhaps better yet, our realizing that we are not as dependent on things as we thought we were.

So, getting back to my feeling helpless. How can I tell my mishpokha, my family in faith that I love with all that I am, while they are sandbagging and pumping out their homes, that YHVH has something better lined up for them. I worry that it may seem trite and minimalizing to their sense of grief. Yet it is the truth.

In Ya'akov / James 1:3 we read: for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance. 4 But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.

And in Luke 6:47 Everyone who comes to me, hears my words and acts on them — I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like someone building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the torrent beat against that house but couldn't shake it, because it was constructed well.

So it is with this flood. The torrents have beat against us, (literally and figuratively) but when we trust in Yah, we will be complete and whole, lacking nothing because we are on the solid bedrock, our faith in YHVH Elohim. Does this mean we will have a splendid home or a massive 401K? No, but we will have everything we can imagine, in this world and in the world to come.

As I walked Gila in the cool evening after the storm, watching her little black and white body bounce over the wet grass, I looked up and saw the half-moon smiling from the dark blue-black sky. Stars scattered across the sky sparkled like diamonds on that same blue-black velvet. What a lovely evening! It seemed that, in the moon and stars, Yah provided lovely promises that life would go on. A sense of normalcy. A confirmation that He is still in control.  How privileged I felt, once again, to know Him and be known by Him. As it was said of Messiah Y'shua, “Who is this that the winds and waves obey Him?” I praise His name that they obey Him still!

Psa 116:1 I love that YHVH heard my voice when I prayed;

2 because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death were all around me, Sh'ol's constrictions held me fast; I was finding only distress and anguish.

4 But I called on the name of YHVH: "Please, YHVH! Save me!"

5 YHVH is merciful and righteous; yes, our Elohim is compassionate.

6 YHVH preserves the thoughtless; when I was brought low, He saved me.

7 My soul, return to your rest! For YHVH has been generous toward you.

8 Yes, you have rescued me from death, my eyes from tears and my feet from falling.

9 I will go on walking in the presence of YHVH in the lands of the living.

10 I will keep on trusting even when I say, "I am utterly miserable,"

11 even when, in my panic, I declare, "Everything human is deceptive."

12 How can I repay YHVH for all His generous dealings with me?

13 I will raise the cup of salvation and call on the name of YHVH.