25th Anniversary of the historic 1993 floods – time for revival to flood the earth

I remember 1993 well. This year was mine and Liela’s 25th anniversary. We married in 1993. It is also the 25th anniversary of several friends of ours, the Reams and the Rosens to name a couple of those friends. Happy 25th anniversary Ed and Julie, Scott and Emanda.  This year is also the 25th anniversary of the Great Flood of 1993. 25 years since one of the most destructive floods in history, and 25 years of several couples flooding their families with the goodness of God.

Does it seem odd to start a post with such dichotomy? Death and destruction and life and fruitfulness? How can either of these opposing perspectives have anything to do with revival?

Floods are seemingly only known for the destruction they bring. News outlets only share pictures of the damage, the loss of life. The brokenness. But flooding has a long tradition of bringing life. Flooding restores and replenishes needed nutrients to the agricultural floodplain, clears silt and debris from our waterways and prepares habitat for life.

The Great Flood of 1993 in some areas lasted over 200 days and effected nine States: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri,  Nebraska,  North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. It covered about 320,000 square miles.

I have been pondering this and the significance of an anniversary of such a historic event. In Ezekiel 47 there is a river described as flowing from the temple. There is life and healing in its waters. Jesus also mentions a river. John mentions one too in Revelation. I have read and taught on the passage in Ezekiel 47 with a plea to the body of Christ to trust in the Lord and go deeper with him. Past the Christian life where we are ankle deep, past the life where we are knee deep, or waist deep and into the place where the water is too deep to cross and you must swim. Steve Curtis Chapman sang about it back in the late 90s with his song Dive.

Unfortunately in our minds deep water drowns. Many don’t know how to swim. Excuse the profanity here but there was a scene from the movie Gone in 60 Seconds by actor Chi McBride: “I can’t swim, I know I can’t. So you know what I do? I stay my black a** out the pool!” Navigating deep waters when we cant swim. I think many Christian’s think just like Chi McBride’s character and simply stay out of the water. We say “I don’t know what to expect” or “The stuff I’ve heard about going deeper is weird, strange, creepy or (insert adjective of choice here)” It’s easier to just say we stay out of the water because deep water drowns.

Enter a different perspective, the rise. Floods happen not from deep water but rising water. I have a creek out back at my house, its only a few inches deep most of the time, but it floods, usually several times a year. There is a rise. There is another old adage out there in the proverb world: “a rising tide raises all ships”. I happened across a quote in a book this last week of Ezekiel 47, in a different Bible version than I normally read or study from. Vs 5 “Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded.” NASB. The sequence of events in Ezekiel 47 hit me like a ton of bricks as I read. I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to me If my people will let me lead them ankle deep, if they will let me lead them knee deep, if they will let me lead them waist deep, if only they will let me lead them I will cause the waters to rise and will flood the whole earth with revival.

We pray for revival, we long for it but were afraid of the deep water. God is longing to release rising waters in and through our lives. I believe there is significance in the 25th anniversary of the great flood of 1993 and what God is wanting to do right now.

Now back to the marriage side. It’s funny how looking back at 25 years of marriage and parenting how much I have had to let the Holy Spirit lead me. Lead me in being a godly husband, lead me in being a godly father and in that I have seen Him take me a little deeper in Him with my family. The waters rise in my own home as I see my children seeking God for themselves. My friends have seen this too. It’s a prime example of how God can move to raise the flood waters.

If we will let him lead us I have good news for you, the rivers depth will not cause you to drown, but the rise may just change your life forever. It may even release a revival flood into your world you and I cant even imagine. Oh and remember earlier when I mentioned that Jesus mentioned a river too. I think He wants to release that river out of us when we will be lead into His river. Food for thought, see John chapter 7.