Snow Cones and Flood Waters

When I was a kid, I used to love snow cones. On a hot Summer day, there's just nothing like a cup of pure, clean water that's been frozen and then shaved into little pieces, with the sweetest raspberry syrup poured all over it. (For those of you who prefer cherry or blueberry, I would question your salvation*.)

The snow cone is a staple at street fairs, carnivals, fireworks displays and many other community Summer festivals. While I love a good Snow Cone, when you break it down to it's simples form, it's just water. Simple, pure, clean refreshing water.

As I drive to work everyday, I follow a river along route 46 in New Jersey. With all of the rain we've had lately the river has risen above the normal bank and is dangerously close to the road. In fact there's a house along the river that has a bridge connecting the main house to a little island in the middle of the river. There is a small building on the island. As I past by the bridge yesterday I realized that about 1/3 of the bridge was completely under the water level. In fact the water was moving so fast and so powerfully over the bridge that you could see sticks and branches going across where the bridge normally is. In many parts of the river the water is moving so fast that all kinds of debris is just flying by.

As I thought about this raging river, I couldn't help but realize that in it's simplest form, it's just water. The same water, although much cleaner, that is used to create the amazing Summer refreshment that we call a snow cone.

So, what's the difference? . . . Power!

The same God who can take H2O and compress it and freeze it to make ice, can take the same H2O and let it loose down the raging river. The same God who can comfort and heal a broken heart can take that same person and let them loose to impact their world for Christ.

So, here's my question. Are you a frozen block of ice simply looking for refreshment or are you a raging river, looking to impact your world? Sometimes we need the refreshment and other times we need to be raging. However, we can't be just one all the time. All raging and no refreshing will kill a person. On the flip side, all refreshment with no raging isn't what God has called us to do.

G3,

*Please note: The cherry/blueberry comment with regards to salvation was just a joke. I realize that raspberry snow cones don't get you into heaven.