Rising Waters

“There is a story of a man trapped in his home by floods. As the waters reached his front door he prayed, ‘Lord God, please rescue me.’ Ten minutes later a boat came by offering to take the man to safety. ‘No,’ said the man, ‘God will save me.’ The floods rose and the man, now trapped upstairs again prayed, ‘Lord God, please help me.’ Five minutes later another boat came, but again the man declined its help. 'God will save me,’ he said, and the boat went away. At last the flood was so high that the man had retreated to the roof where he prayed, ‘God, please help me.’ Almost at once there was a roaring sound and a helicopter arrived. ‘I don’t need your help,’ said the man, ‘God will rescue me.’ The man drowned. In heaven he complained that even though he had prayed he had not been saved. ‘Yes,’ said God, ‘that puzzled me too - I sent two boats and a helicopter yet still you drowned.’”

From the Church of St. John the Evangelist, Edinburgh. Quoted with permission. 2010