Last Sunday night, the sky opened like a faucet over my neighborhood, and my first thought was, “Oh no, Old Ellicott City (OEC).” That morning, I preached a message from James 4:13f. on the uncertainty of our lives and the caution of presuming on our plans. Watching the footage of the flooding, I felt the weightiness of God’s Word in a new light.

While certainly not claiming any sort of “prophetic” voice, the sheer power of nature and the unpredictability of life should make us consider how fragile our lives actually are. There are always things beyond our control no matter how much technology, how many policies and regulations, or how much money we put into something.

OEC’s second flooding in three years reminds me to submit my plans to the Lord and to remember that ultimately He orders my steps. With that short sermon reminder, let me also offer a few pastoral thoughts on how we can respond to the needs yet again.  Continue reading →