Hurricane Ian was one of the more devastating hurricanes in recent memory. Cutting across much of Florida, it made landfall with windspeeds of up to 150 miles per hour. The power of the storm was enough to cause significant damage as buildings, landscape and property was devasted by the sustained winds of this large and powerful storm. Even more damaging than the initial blast of the storm was the amount of rain poured out on communities across that state. Some counties in Florida experienced over 15” of rainfall in a short period of time. This caused drainage systems to fail, streets, homes, and business to flood. The power of the water washed away roads and bridges. To this day, there are still communities that are only reachable by boat or air.
This powerful storm gave the residents of many communities little time to evacuate. When the residents left their homes, they had no time to take with them what was truly precious. That is why two residents of Sanibel Island, Melissa and Scott Congress, returned by boat. They wanted to retrieve the Torah scrolls from their synagogue. They hoped they were safe and dry, but they had no idea if the priceless scrolls were undamaged.
It was the day before Yom Kippur and Melissa and Scott wanted to have the scrolls to read from as they marked this high, holy day. They made their way through the storm damage to the vault where the Torah was kept. When they opened the vault, they found the scrolls secure and dry. It was a moment of relief and joy. One of the scrolls had survived the Holocaust and now both had survived the storm. They took the Torah back with them and gathered with their synagogue, now virtually, to read the story of how God restores His people through grace and mercy.
The word of God is precious. It is worth a special trip. God’s word inspires us. God’s word informs us. God’s word transforms us. It is our story of faith. When we read God’s good news, found in the scriptures, we connect with a story bigger than ourselves. It allows us to see that our present struggles and fear are well within God’s ability to overcome. We learn that God has and will continue to work for the good of His children. Melissa and Scott serve as a good reminder to us all that when we are anchored in God’s Word, the winds and the water will not move us. We will find peace and joy, even in the midst of the storm.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
