Yesterday was the type of day that takes me back to 2001. It rained for two days and while we welcome the rain, it became a threat during Tropical Storm Allison. On June 5, 2001, I was studying for a promotional exam not really paying attention to the weather.
At approximately 5:00 am, I received a call from my brother Lee to inform me that overnight, the water was rising where my parents live. My sister lives about 3 miles away but she was on high ground. The bayou runs along her back yard and she was unable to go get my parents as the high water surrounded her driveway and the street making it impossible to get out. Having other siblings in Katy, Pasadena, and Conroe, it just made sense that I was the closest to them. I had to go get my parents. The water had risen past the front foyer covering the sidewalk. Mom suffers with eye disorders but dad led her out to the street where a dump truck driver got them out. He dropped them off at a church where mom and dad then walked a few blocks to their pastor's house.
I decided that picking them up from the pastor's house would be easier, until the pastor's house also began taking in water. I high tailed it to their house and as I rounded the street leading there, I saw a fire truck in water. The bayou had overflowed trapping the first responders. Many vehicles were parked on the street unable to pass. I immediately turned the other direction and began to pray for a way to get my parents. When I say "pray" I mean in open voice crying out to God....just me and Him. I wanted my parents! My brother who was monitoring the weather from every angle gave me another route and said he would pray with me.
The streets were flooded with no traffic but I was on a mission! As I approached the house, I could feel the water nearing my vehicle door but I continued on. I called my brother, my sisters and my father and asked them to pray that God would make a way. Shortly thereafter I called my dad and said "I'm here!" We battled the water and got them in the car. When we opened the door, the water came in but we were still dry.
I had my parents and that's all that mattered. That area suffered, the water took its toll, and my parents lost everything in their home and their vehicle in that storm. However, there were "just enough" low spots that allowed me to drive them to my home. My father did not complain about losing everything, he did not fear the water, he merely gave thanks to God for bringing him through.
Thousands of years ago, the enemy pursued the Israelites. Their mission of freedom looked bleak when they came upon the Red Sea. God's Word says "So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea." [Exodus 13:18] He did this for a reason. God knew if He led them through Egypt, they might face war and become scared and retreat.
When the people came upon the Red Sea they became scared and grumbled. They verbally attacked Moses for taking them there and leading them to a "no win" situation. When I came on the high water where the first responders were stuck, I called my family to pray for a way.
God heard my prayer and opened another route. God also heard Moses and opened a route for the Israelites. In both cases, God did it not so that I could get to my parents or so that the Israelites could get out of Egypt, He did it so that He could get the glory and the Egyptians would know He is God!
When you feel like you are drowning in your pain, your sorrow, your burdens, or anything else, cry out to God. He specializes in high water rescues.
Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them and I will gain the glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through the chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen. Exodus 14:16-18
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