Oh Lord, deliver us from the elements ...

“It was not because you were more numerous than any other people that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you—for you were the fewest of all peoples. It was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath that he swore to your ancestors, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, and who repays in their own person those who reject him. He does not delay but repays in their own person those who reject him.”

- Deuteronomy 7:7-10

It’s not just raining in Seattle today. It’s pouring. Sure, we get a lot of rain here, but not all at once. Yesterday’s storm was a deluge reminiscent of my years in Michigan. It felt like our whole city was just going to float away. No doubt the rivers have risen around Puget Sound, and some areas will experience flooding.

I’ve heard it said that “you’re nobody ’til somebody loves you.” That’s what we hear from Deuteronomy today: that the ancient Israelites are a chosen people, set apart for God’s special protection not because they are good, not because they are worthy, but simply because God loves them.

Question: What does it mean to have God’s protection? Certainly it doesn’t mean that bad things like flooding and storms won’t affect us. So what does it mean? Have you ever felt protected by God? Tell your story. But as you do, bear in mind: what about those who weren’t protected in the same way you were?

From their 1983 album Mummer, here’s my favorite band ever: XTC, with “Deliver Us from the Elements.”