The King and His Banner of Love Over the Flood

Last September 26, 2009, darkness and water filled the cities of Metro Manila (Philippines). Tropical Storm Ondoy shook families in fear including mine.

It was no ordinary Sunday for me when I woke up the next morning inside a public transportation jeep. I saw people still struggling to go home, wet and distressed. There were even deaths near us. I, together with my family, was relieved and blessed to get up alive.

As I look back from that experience, I realize how God himself prepared and spoke to me before that great and dreadful day came.  I heard the news about the typhoon coming, and the safety warning from Media didn’t stop running and playing in my mind.   I literally saw big banners (Song of Songs 2:4) that spoke about his message. That Saturday morning, when I went to school I saw a banner while I was waiting for a ride that said “Jesus cares” (painted boldly on a jeep). Little did I know that Jesus was going to use a jeep for our shelter that night. I rode on a vehicle and saw another on a billboard that said “Jesus saves” and a banner on a bulletin board in our school that said “Trust in the Lord”.

I thought it was words of comfort for my test in school but it was actually the exact words I needed to survive, and tested my faith that night in the middle of the road (with my family inside that public vehicle). My mother was asking me if God would forsake us and let all of us die. But those Big Written Words (He showed me), were the words I meditated on and the hope I had when I cried out my heart to Him.  The water was getting higher that it could reach us, we were so afraid (especially for my one year old nephew who was with us). We thought it would be – not the end of the world- but the end of our lives  With no one to turn to, no rescue to look up to – - – but God had been faithful with his words.

The next morning, I was amazed by how God kept us alive and complete when we went out of our city and moved to our relatives. We walked through the roads to find a bus to get there, and I saw a verse carved on a building, it was Matthew 24:35:

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“Heaven and Earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” and as I sat down and looked outside the window when we finally got into a bus, God spoke through a banner again “Jesus loves you.”
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In the past, Noah had God and an arc that saved him and his family over that great flood. Now in our time, I, myself had Jesus and his banner of love over that jeep that boldly said “Jesus cares“.  He did care, God even said “Jesus saves”, “Trust in the Lord”, “- words that were more than enough to fill my spirit and have faith to hold onto him. He even gave me the word that spoke about my whole experience.

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Psalm 32:6-7

Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
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I truly believe in my heart that Jesus was with us that night, and it was not an accident that God spoke through a banner on a jeep and gave us a jeep for our shelter. Jesus was our hiding place that protected us from being drowned as I prayed and cried out for help.  And the song he gave me to encourage myself that night was the song of deliverance he fulfilled in our lives.

When the ocean rise, and thunders roar,
I will soar with you above the storm.
Father, you are king over the flood,
I will be still know you are God.

- – Still, Hillsong United

And as our youth Pastor shared with us that as long as God is seated on his throne, whatever happens down here on earth, Jesus will always be the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. Jesus’ name would always be above every name (including typhoon Ondoy). He will always be the King Over the Flood, and His banner of Love for us will endure forever and ever (Matthew 24:35)!

After all that had happened, God showed me his message pure and simple – it’s Jesus. (period)

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