When It Rains, It Pours

     Flooding in Des Plaines has become a fact of life. My introduction to the northwest suburbs came three weeks after we moved here in 2007. The people we bought our house from insisted it had never had water in the basement. But our first month in Des Plaines a storm knocked the power out for ten days and brought about six inches of water into our basement. Canoes were making their way down River Road (which becomes literal every time it floods).
     The flooding has repeated itself here about every two years. It has given us opportunity to work together on emptying the church basement of water (something we hope we have fixed) and helping one another and our neighbors with their basement flooding.
     And why does it flood? On occasion, we get a downpour of a half inch to an inch in an hour’s time. The ground can’t handle the torrent so it finds it’s way into our houses, sometimes by overwhelming the storm sewers. But most often, it is the result of steady, constant rain, over the course of several days. Eventually, the ground becomes saturated and it seeps through the concrete (all basement walls and floors have some cracking) and into our basements. If you have a good sump system, the pump usually keeps your basement dry. But sometimes it gets so bad that the pump can’t keep up, and sometimes the pump fails...and you get flooded.
     It just comes down to too much rain. And that’s also how adversity overwhelms us.
     We can handle a certain amount. We all know that things go wrong in life. It’s just how it is in this world. Jesus told us, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV).
     We know we are going to have to endure storms. It’s just how it is. And sometimes we feel overwhelmed, especially when there doesn’t seem to be sunshine in the forecast. It’s one thing to lose your job or to face a health concern. But for some of you, its a job loss, health crisis, relationship failure, all in the same week. It’s like your life becomes saturated with trouble and your spirit is flooded.
     Jesus did say, “In this world you will have trouble...” But then he added, “Take heart, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV). In other words, he’s better than having a well-working sump system. Unlike sump pumps, he won’t fail, he doesn’t need an external power source, and if you have him, you need not be overwhelmed.
     I get a little seepage into my basement whenever heavy rains come because we don’t have a sump pump. So ground saturation will inevitably lead to at least some flooding.
     But I do have Jesus. So in this world, while I know I’ll have trouble, I’m resting on him for safekeeping...he has overcome the world!