Wave! Wave!

Devotional today was a sweet experience. Richard Hunter was the speaker. He is managing direction of public affiars here. He is an Azzie but we knew him when we lived in Singapore. He was working in the Hong Kong office then and we had him in our home many times. It is nice to be associated with him again.

He told of a huge earthquake off the Samoan islands in 2009. It was an 8 and occurred just as the day was starting. There was in a small village two missionaries that were also getting ready for the day. One was a Samoan and the other an American from Tennessee who had been there only a few days. Almost immediately there was a tsunami on its way.  The villagers all started to shout, Wave! Wave! and then they shouted Run! Run!

The Samoan had a hard time getting his companion to understand what he was saying because he did not have the language skills but finally they were running for higher ground themselves. As they ran they scanned the area to see if there was anyone left. Suddenly they saw three little children who were all alone.  The American climbed a tree and the Samoan threw the kids, one by one, up to him and he would get them secure on a tree limb.  Then the Samoan climbed up too and helped them go higher. Almost immediately the wave hit. It was 45 feet high. Nearly 200 people were lost that day and most of that island lost their homes.

Richard's message was this. We need to all take the opportuntiy to evaluate ourselves and to see if we are on high ground.  Have the standards of the church become a part of us? Where are we spiritually? Are we ok or do we need to stretch and work to get to a higher ground.

As we are working to get onto higher ground, or a higher level of spirituality we need to constantly be scanning the area to be aware of dangers and pitfalls that will cause us to lose sight of where we are going.

The third part is that we need to seek for and then take others with us! There is always someone we can lift and help and possibly save. What great will be our joy if we reach that higher level and we have our friends and loved ones right there with us!