When the Unexpected Rains Down On Us

It was a rainy cold day, the kind I fled from the North to avoid. And while that was an inconvenience, it was not the most disappointing part of the day. THAT was when one of our best helicopters in the midst of a spectacular flight, lodged in the highest, unreachable rafters of the church where we practice for Science Olympiad. It wedged itself in a completely unaccessible place. We looked up, faces drooping in despair, from four stories below it. The guard who had helped us retrieve it from lower rafters in the past shook his head.
"We can't reach that one," he said.
The kids instantly began plotting how they could indeed reach that one, but I put the kabosh on that quickly. I heard snippets of plans like "climb to the 4th floor and reach out while you hold on to my feet..."
"We will just keep testing the other ones," I said, "Maybe it will get blown down."

But it didn't. Not while we were there. And the Church has been very gracious in allowing us to practice in its atrium. I am very concerned about the exact moment that the helicopter decides to unwedge itself. I have visions of parishioners marching into this mega church, thousands of unsuspecting people in high heels and coiffed hair. And all of a sudden, a whirling dervish drops out of heaven and begins chopping at their unsuspecting heads. I cannot bear to think of what could happen should the crowd panic. I have to write the church today and fess up. The guard made a note of it, though he found it humorous, not a source of angst.

On the other hand, it might be a good thing. Something unusual like an unknown, unexpected object spinning out of heaven might snap more than a few of us out of our comfortable complacency. When we are too long in the commonplace, we begin to forget that there is something hovering just above us that is most uncommon. We forget that angels watch us, usually unheard and unseen, or that God Himself is wrapped around us. Maybe instead of praying that the helicopter will not dislodge during the church service, I should be praying that it would, that heads would snap upwards, awakened and alerted to the Presence that goes so largely undetected for such long stretches of time.

But whenever it comes down, I hope it will be returned to us. It was one of our best hopes for a medal in Science Olympiad in less than two weeks.

Exekiel 1: 25-28
Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.
This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.




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