Made Alive

 

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:1-6 ESV).

 

On September 11, 1961, Hurricane Carla crashed into the Texas coast virtually on top of Galveston. It turned out to be one of the biggest storms in size in hurricane history and caused damage from Port Arthur to Brownsville – the entire 600 mile length of the Texas Gulf Coast. Torrential rains and high winds were felt in Austin and beyond. When it came ashore, Carla had winds of 170 mph. But it was the storm surge and high waves that caused much of the damage, flooding homes and businesses from Port Arthur all the way to Corpus Christi.

 

I recall that week well. We stayed on the island since we lived above our neighborhood grocery store. I was only twelve years old at the time. After the storm passed, the Weather Service reported that most of the injuries from the hurricane were caused by snake bites from the thousands carried in by the flood waters. Thousands of water moccasins were washed from southeast Texas swamps and bayous and ended up piling up on streets and in yards. My Dad and I were a part of the civil patrols riding in the back of trucks with our rifles killing the snakes. Riding through what was a thriving, vibrant neighborhood in those days indelibly stamped the image of the natural destruction on my mind. The picture I’ve attached is just a few blocks from where we lived. Today, you would not recognize the area except for the hospital in the background. It is “alive” with the growth of the decades.

 

In thinking about our reading today, I am reminded me of God’s great promises for us. Even before we felt the breath of new life, when we were still separated from God because of our sin, Jesus, through his love for us, gave us the hope of becoming fully alive. His sacrifice for us gives us the challenge of becoming fully alive in him. This is the promise of making all things new in Christ. Claim that in your life today!