A few weeks ago the River Spey burst its banks as a result of rain and snow melt. Its height fluctuated over several days by the time this was taken it was on the way down again, but it was still way over its normal level. After taking a few more pictures I decided to go up the hillside above Aviemore called Craigellachie and look down on the flooding.

Having previously posted pictures of the flooding on Facebook and received a number of likes and comments I was somewhat surprised that nobody responded when I posted the two photos above. On reflection I recognise that the second photograph put the other pictures I had in perspective. The flooding does not look so bad up here. I am reminded of the verses in Isaiah chapter 55, 8 and 9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” Funny how when we are confronted with a problem in our lives we tend to throw a pity party. We live in a “me centred” culture in Western Christianity which has also infected the Church in many ways, sometimes subtle but at other times more obvious. We want to live in a world where everything revolves around us, but forget that when Jesus said he was the Light of the World he knew the solar system was heliocentric. We need to take a few steps back and try and see things from God’s perspective.

David Rose, 2021.