“Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.”
This line, from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which tells the tale of a sailor’s hardship as the sole survivor of a doomed voyage, refers to a time the ship was stalled on the ocean near the equator. Long days unmoving in the sun drained away life as they ran out of water, yet were surrounded by an ocean filled with it.

After suffering through years of severe drought, despite 840 miles of Pacific Ocean coast line, California finally built a desalination plant in 2015, paving the way for more, because, despite the detractors, it’s the most sustainable source of drinking water. One detractor, apparently blissfully ignorant of the millennia long history of regular droughts, made the brilliant observation that it’s not a good idea: “because by the time you finish it the drought is over.” Six years later it isn’t.

Yesterday we introduced Elijah, who’s first recorded prophecy was a long drought in Israel as punishment for their sin under Ahab (1 Kings 17:1). But, as in all droughts, the effects were felt by everyone – even the prophet himself. At first he camped by a stream in the wilderness and was supplied by God until the creek ran dry (1 Kings 17:2-7). Then God sent him to the Widow of Zarephath, who herself was at the edge of death, and miraculously preserved Elijah along with the widow and her son (1 Kings 17:8-24). Finally, when the famine was so severe Ahab was desperately looking for water sources God sent Elijah to lift the drought. But first he had to confront Ahab and show him that God rules in nature (1 Kings 18:1-2).

Recently many relearned how little control we have over nature. The storms that swept through the Midwest skipped across the landscape randomly hitting homes and business, taking some lives and leaving others with nothing but emotional scars. We couldn’t stop it or direct it, we could only hide in closets, bathrooms, and basements while it passed over. Yes God gives us tools to use for survival during such storms, but in the end we must remember one important thing: We don’t rule - God does. I pray we don’t forget it any time soon.