By Wendell Elms
In recent years much attention has been given in the news media about devastating tsunamis. Since I hadn’t heard much about tsunamis as a kid, my interest in this strange phenomenon was piqued. I wanted to learn about them, so I did just a small amount of research and found many pictures and video clips of these tsunamis while they happened. It was jaw dropping. The raw power of a tsunami decimating shorelines and cities, while sweeping thousands of people away never to be seen again isn’t something one would forget. It’s horrific just to watch, and I cannot imagine actually experiencing one. In Japan entire families simply disappeared without a trace. Cars, buildings, trees, trucks, boats, and even ships moved like bobbing corks down a river. I noticed that nothing in its way withstood the force of the raging waters. Mass devastation resulted. Everything was moved from its foundation and torn apart. I observed the organization of city and neighborhoods turn to complete chaos in a moment.
By comparison, consider the damage wrought by the force of mighty hurricanes, yet there are things that do survive its fury. Likewise in a tornado some things actually do survive and make it through. Some things can even resist a fire and survive. However, in a tsunami, everything was broken, flattened, or moved. Nothing in its path appeared to survive. From what I saw, everything was affected. My mind slowly formed a question: Is there anything that can resist the power of a tsunami? I began to search and contemplate. I researched and found nothing the tsunami didn’t destroy. Everything in its path was changed. After a while something dawned on me. The answer was subtle. Once noticed, however, it loomed obvious. Yes, I did find something a tsunami could not destroy. To illustrate I refer to a video clip. This one was a clip of the tsunami that hit northern Japan on March 11, 2011. The person videoing was shooting the footage from a hill overlooking a residential neighborhood far below. As the waters made it to the residences, they tore through the houses like they were made of toothpicks. People began to flee their homes. In particular, I noticed a lady walk out her back door, walking toward the photographer in her attempt to get away. Unbeknownst to her the waters behind continued to close in on her. I became tense wondering if she would make it. I’m glad to say she made it, but it was only after a man reached down and pulled her up to safety. She was very fortunate because the water at this point had reached her and was already ankle deep. She had only seconds before being swept away.
That something that even a tsunami cannot destroy is higher ground. It is the only safe place when the energized floodwaters come. It is interesting to note that Mother Nature somehow sends a message to land-based animals, because these animals have been seen heading to higher ground just prior to a tsunami.” Doth not nature even teach us” where the safe places are
When Lot was called out the midst of a tsunami of wickedness in Sodom and Gomorrah, please notice where the angel led him: “And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain” (Genesis 19:30). Higher ground. Think of all the high places in the Bible that represent safety in some way. Calvary, the upper room, etc.
High ground always represents a place of advantage and safety, from military strategy to salvation in an upper room. And, yes, remember that we are to always take the high road.
A tsunami of wickedness covers our world today like never before. By comparison, evil would have been rated at about “flood stage” when I was a kid. Now it has gone far beyond that into a full-blown tsunami. Sin is abounding. The love of many waxes cold. There is a growing flood of corruption being belched from hell that is attempting to take the people of God under. Our only hope is higher ground. We must go to higher ground. We are to build on the rock (Matthew 7:24). Many are being destroyed because they have not received a love of the truth and have thought they could outsmart or outlast the storm. That will not work. Lot finally saw his only hope was to abandon everything and go. We must do likewise and abandon the world, leave it all behind, and head to higher ground. The old song says, “On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.”
We need more of Him and less of the world. We need more God-awareness and less world-awareness. When you reach higher ground, you see things from a different perspective. The panoramic view from above takes on new meaning.
God always leads us to higher places in Him—away from the low, fleshly things and into the spiritual high places. Melodies spring into my heart such as, “This world is not our home; we’re just passing through,” and” Lord, plant my feet on higher ground:’
Higher ground is defined as the building of your relationship with Jesus through more Bible reading, more prayer, more involvement in the church (God’s kingdom), more faithfulness, etc. Climb up! We must not dupe ourselves into believing we can weather this end time, the mother of all spiritual storms. I’m saddened when I see those attempting to brave this storm. It is impossible. If we truly hate the world, we will do everything within our power to stay away from its evil systems. Satan is giving out candy-coated deception like never before. Mr. Compromise will deal you a fatal hand while smiling at you. While we must remember Lot’s wife, we can’t forget Lot either. Because he waited too late he lost more of his family than he saved. While you might save yourself, you may lose everything dear to you in the process. It’s a risk I’m not willing to take.
Our only real security is to get to higher ground. That is the only thing that means safety from the tsunami. I ask you today to please move toward higher ground while you have the opportunity. I close with this verse from 1 Samuel 22: “The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.”
The above article, “Something a Tsunami Cannot Destroy,” is written by Wendell Elms. The article was excerpted from the Apostolic Sentinel.
The material is copyrighted and should not be reprinted under any other name or author. However, this material may be freely used for personal study or research purposes.
