The flood of Noah was pivotal to the Old Testament message of salvation. The story of the flood becomes the sign of salvation pointing forward to the sacrament of holy baptism; the sacrament of death and life. It is ironic that the very death-dealing waters both in the flood and in baptism are also the waters that bring life and give forgiveness to the children of God: Peter says that Noah and his family "were saved through water" in the flood. It's no wonder that our Christian view of the flood caused by Hurricane Harvey is different from those who do not understand our faith.

In Houston, we actually saw people being saved through water, the very stuff that threatened our homes, safety and livelihood. When families had to get out of flooded neighborhoods when the waters rose faster than they were able to react, they were ferried out of their homes with their children and pets in small boats. Maybe you saw the TV news reports of the man who brought people out of a flooded neighborhood in a two-person kayak. Water brought ruination, but it became the medium by which our most precious gifts were floated out to safety. Ironically, our enemy became our friend; what threatened death, preserved life.

Christ's crucifixion is also a death that preserved life bringing salvation, just as the flood of Noah was a death-dealing once-in-a-universe event, that for Noah and his family was their salvation, carried as they were by water in the ark. Christ's death was also a once-in-a-universe event. Death became, in His crucifixion, the granting of life. We were floated out of the neighborhood of death on the flood of blood and water to the safety, which only that life-giving blood could provide, guiding us through the waters of baptism, where we drowned with Him in the burial of baptism and were brought forth again to newness of life.

Pagans, whose hearts are set on the riches of this world, are just baffled when Christians look so positively on the trial that brings such devastation into people's lives with the loss of property, the ruin of keepsakes, and the destruction of autos. But their hearts are not set on the things of this world, but on Christ, who is the true treasure; a treasure that cannot be taken from us by the world's disasters. Nothing can separate us from that love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Especially not Harvey. God is still God. Harvey is not. God is still the God who saves, even through water.

After Noah's flood, he sent a dove and when it returned with the olive leaf he knew it was time to open the ark, releasing life upon the earth again. We come to the church to hear the dove-like Word of God bringing us the olive leaf of forgiveness, life and salvation in the presence of such devastation. How easy it would be to look upon the brown, swirling waters staining our homes and neighborhoods in Houston and despair. How easy it would be to doubt God's goodness and the certainty of His rescue when our home might still be under the threat of being flooded and despair. How easy it would be to be overcome by the breathless reports of bad news hurled at us by news services daily and despair. We will not despair, because we have a God who is faithful and always has been. He even uses the waters themselves to bring rescue.

When we are at divine service, we are standing in the ark of the church waiting for the water to recede. Remember the place of the people in the church is called the nave, the Latin word for "ship." God has sent the dove to light here and bring us the olive leaf of His mercy. He speaks peace in the Word of God. He says, "I will never leave you or forsake you." He has pledged His own Son on the cross of suffering, why could we think that He would leave you or forsake you? He offers us the olive leaf of the holy sacrament where He feeds us the food of life from our altar.