High Winds and Heavy Rain? Hurray!!!


Hope under any circumstances!

All day long we had been pounded by heavy rain, battered by gusting winds, and pitched back and forth by colossal waves and winding roads. What can you do in such weather conditions?

Of course, the inhabitants of Vancouver Island found shelter in their warm, cozy homes. How they must have laughed as they looked out of their picture windows at the drenched tourists roaming the streets of Tofino!

But not all tourists were roaming the streets in the storm. Many decided to take council from the island inhabitants, and they remained in their hotel rooms devouring novels to pass the time. In all, the day appeared to be a write-off!

There were some daredevils out there, however, who seemed to anticipate this stormy day with eagerness. Adrenaline coursing through their veins, they filled their vehicles with wet suits, towels and surf boards, and took off for Long Beach.

Long Beach, one of the most-visited beaches in the Pacific Rim National Park in British Columbia, had been on our list of "must-sees" as well, and since we were already hopelessly wet, when the exit for this famous beach appeared, we found ourselves rolling off the highway.

Not all of us were crazy. My wife, who had appointed herself the "official driver" for the winding roads back to Nanaimo (she didn't want to get sick again!), decided this would be a great occasion to prepare for the long drive by taking a nap. The rest of us were not so smart, and we set out in the rain.

While splashing along the soggy sands, my boys and I were shocked at the number of surfers we saw. And despite the intemperate weather, they all had one thing in common: they were wearing bright smiles! They were obviously enjoying their day to the fullest!

We had only been on the beach for a few moments when I once again tired of sloshing in my shoes, and I began to appreciate the wisdom my wife had shown by staying in the car! I quickly rounded up my boys for our return trip to Nanaimo, and we once again found ourselves on the road.

After twisting and turning for miles on end, we reached Cathedral Grove, a forest of majestically tall Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar trees. We had read that the oldest of these astounding trees are approximately 800 years in age, and they measure approximately 76 meters (250 ft) in height and 9 meters (29 ft) in circumference! Despite the fact that it was now dark and that it continued to rain, we knew we had to get out of the car for a few minutes and walk among these majestic giants. Did we ever feel like puny ants!

Unfortunately, many of these colossal trees had fallen, and their rotting trunks littered the forest floor. We noticed, however, that even among the fallen logs, hope had sprung anew. These defunct giants had turned into nursery logs, harbouring thousands of huckleberry bushes, sala, and even young hemlock trees. The nutrients in the decaying wood, and the fact that the logs kept the young plants off of the shady forest floor, made ideal conditions for the new plants.

Later, as I reflected on these two incidences, I came to the conclusion that there is always hope, even in the most desperate situations. Our circumstances may seem to mercilessly engulf and swallow us, but if we take the time to look, we will notice that even in these hopeless situations there is a bright future, if we reach out for it!

"When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee - God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post." (Heb 6:17-20 The Message)

Our hope is built on rock solid, on Jesus Christ, our "our living hope" (see 1 Tim 1:1)! With Him as our guarantor we have nothing to fear! He will come through for us and although we may face temporary setbacks, the future is always shining wide and bright!

"It's because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God." (1 Peter 1:21 The Message)

Where will you be when torrential rains bombard your hometown?

Rob Chaffart

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