envelop spinner search close plus arrow-right arrow-left facebook twitter
"When the Rains Come"

"When the Rains Come"

by Rev. Laura Parker on June 25, 2020

Luke 6:46-49 (NRSV)

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you? 47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. 48 That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house.”

 

Yesterday, I had the privilege of touring the new Babies First Home in Mobile, a program that provides housing and support for young moms and their children who are part of the foster care system, a ministry of our United Methodist Children’s Home. Let me just say what a remarkable ministry this is as it provides customized care for a vulnerable population of teen moms. Ministries like these make me so proud to be a part of a church that does the good work Jesus has intended us to do, caring for those who have no one else to care for them and helping them to achieve for themselves and their families what might otherwise be impossible!!
 

This beautiful house is high atop a hill in Mobile that looks out in all directions, perfectly positioned to see dark clouds approaching as we walked from room to room yesterday afternoon. Indeed, as I gathered with these other Methodist pastors, we began to hear the warning sirens blasting to let us know that unwelcome weather was headed our way. Folks began to take out their phones and quickly learned that we were in the midst of a tornado warning and the radar showed severe thunderstorms would soon be upon us.
 

One of the things I have learned since moving to south Alabama 10 years ago is that the rain is different here. When it rains, it pours. A regular old rainy day here on Mobile Bay can look very much like the rain we experience during a tropical storm. And true to form, before Darren McClellan could even get the words out to tell me to make a run for my car, the deluge was upon us. By the time I ran the short distance to where I had parked, I was grateful for a 10-year-old Honda that would be none the worse for my saturated hair, shoes and clothing.
 

Before I made the mad dash to my car, even as the warning signals began to sound, I experienced momentary concern for that beautiful new building…thinking about the young moms and their babies who needed a safe refuge…I prayed this house had been well built with a strong and sure foundation. The representatives from the contractors who joined us for the tour certainly seemed knowledgeable and I can only imagine the architects and engineers had given them a sound design to build upon. So many hopes and dreams are represented by that home—and everything starts with the foundation.
 

The girls who will be living in this home have gotten a rough start in life. They need something good to be a part of their future. Some of them may spend the next 5-6 years in this home as they finish their education and learn the life skills they need to create a different kind of home for their children. They will be safe and they will have faith modeled for them and they will know people are praying for them and loving them and standing alongside them as they embark on this journey of motherhood. Please pray with me that this home will be a haven and will truly help cycles of family dysfunction to be broken.
 

For all of us, the foundation upon which we stand is so important. As we have just celebrated Father’s Day, I think about the good work so many of you are doing to parent the children entrusted to you. I know many in our congregation are grandparents who have the opportunity to contribute love and stability and faith to children’s children. As Christians, we all have the privilege of participating in ministries within our church and beyond its doors that help support and encourage parents and children to find firm footing and a sound foundation. The responsibility begins at home, but it certainly does not stop there. We have been created to live in a world where we are responsible for each other.
 

So, the real question for us today is, what kind of foundation are we building for our lives? Are we prepared when the rains come? And they surely will! The conventional wisdom we find in the world around us may put us on a slippery slope! For some 2000 years, Christianity has been and continues to be counter-cultural. It pays to take stock and look closely at the foundational truths that shape our lives. If we are mired in the muck the world gives us, we may find ourselves sliding in the wrong direction and with little ability to reach out and give another a helping hand. Our world is better when our faith is stronger and when we form a network of Christian care that extends beyond our homes, beyond our pews, beyond our walls and into a world where needs are many. May we each seek diligently to be rooted and formed in a growing faith in Jesus Christ that sees the world through the eyes of God’s immense love!
 

Oh Lord, sometimes all I see are dark clouds headed my way and I wonder if my faith can withstand the storms. Help me on sunny days to cast my lot with you so that when the rains come, I stand on a firm foundation. Then I can lend a hand to my neighbors and help them find the kind of faith that has encouraged and reassured me! In Christ I pray, AMEN.

Rev. Laura Parker


return to Daily Devotionals