The semi-trucks were lined up; poised, positioned and powerless. Most of the rigs were loaded with thousands of pounds of cargo. The powerful diesel engines idled, but without effect. The white flags of submission were out.
An examination of the situation revealed that the victor, the conqueror, was a tiny crystal of frozen water, more commonly known as a snowflake. As absurd as it sounds, it was true. I witnessed it first hand. The transportation corridor between Kansas and Colorado, better known as Interstate 70, was closed. Nothing; not a van with our family of seven, not an elaborate traction rich vehicle, and not even an eighty thousand pound semi-truck could defeat what had accumulated in six hours. Game over!
It’s incredible that something so insignificant, so invisible, could overwhelm and disable such a powerful infrastructure. But we all know, snow doesn’t fall in isolation. One snowflake introduces another. And every once in a while, a countless number fall at the same time and when this concert of nature is accompanied by a powerful and artistic wind; and the work becomes a blizzard. And then, roads close… even interstates.
I’m convinced that Jesus understood this phenomenon at another level. He called it: The Church. Millions of individuals, often insignificant, come together, with a common mission and vision. They know that there is power when they come together in pristine unity. They know that when they offer themselves, fully, completely, sacrificially, collectively, and the powerful wind of the Spirit blows, that nothing, absolutely nothing can overpower it.
“…I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” ~ Matthew 16:18 (ESV)
No march of evil. No engine of hate. No scheme of destruction.
These categoric words of Jesus were a forecast… a prediction… a promise. A blizzard is coming. Snowflakes. One at a time. Commonly purposed. Spirit driven. The Church.
So cars, vans, and semi-trucks surrendered. Because tiny frozen water crystals worked together.
Not even the gates of hell. In 2007, let’s be what Jesus declared that we should be. Let’s be The Church. Let’s be a blizzard.
When the snow falls, and The Wind blows… revival, real, infrastructure-changing revival.
Together… The Church.
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