I have never seen the spillway of a dam actually built up on top of bare rock! This is incredible!
Usually, a dam is a perfectly curved structure, with a perfect base disappearing into a perfectly designed pool of water which the spillways drain down into.
But not Diablo Dam.
Diablo Dam is built on bare rock!
As I gazed in awe and wonder at the spillways, I couldn’t help thinking of the passage in Matthew 16:13-18:
“Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’
“They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’
“‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’
“Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’
“Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter [meaning – “small pebble“], and on this rock [the truth that I am the Christ – Messiah – the Son of the living God!] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades/hell will not overcome it.”
Jesus Christ is the foundation – the Rock – upon which the Church is built!
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 3:11
The Church belongs to Jesus Christ!
The Church is built on the foundation of Jesus Christ!
The Church’s primary purpose is to preach Jesus Christ!
There is tremendous pressure behind a dam. The water “stored up” behind the dam creates immense pressure! The dam must have strength in order to hold back the water.
In the same way, the Church is like a dam. The Church, by the strength the Holy Spirit, “holds back” sin and wickedness in the world.
“But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.” – Romans 2:5
Jesus Christ established the Church (to be like a dam), built on the foundation of himself (as the foundation rock!), in order to “hold back” wickedness and evil in our world. And as a result, there is tremendous pressure! Evil presses with great force … but the foundation is solid! The Church remains steadfast!
Diablo Dam is a beautiful dam. Dam’s don’t necessarily need beautifully designed lampposts along the entire length of the causeway. But Diablo Dam has lampposts! All across the top of the Dam the lights shine out in the pitch-black darkness of night.
This is such a beautiful picture of the Church!
Just like Diablo Dam has lampposts all along the length of the causeway, so also, all across the world, the Church shines out the Light of Jesus Christ! Each person who loves & follows Jesus, in every far-flung corner of the world, is a lamppost shining out the Light of Jesus Christ! Illuminating the darkness!
Here is another view of Diablo Dam. It truly is a beautiful dam. Dam’s don’t necessarily need beautiful Art Deco curved arches. But Diablo Dam has them!
From this view out on the water, imagine being a person lost and floating on the deep cold waters of sin. Just like the North Cascades are utterly pitch-black in the darkness of night, so also our world is utterly dark with sin and evil and suffering.
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.
“They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil.
“Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such thing deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”
– Romans 1:18-22; 29-32
But … shining out across the cold deep waters of sin … are many shining lights! All the way across the top of the dam, the lights shine out!
This is the Church!
* The Church is established and built on the Rock Foundation of Jesus Christ!
* The Church “holds back” evil and wickedness in our world. (via the power and strength of the Holy Spirit!)
* The Church is beautiful!
* The Church lights up the cold pitch-black darkness with the Light of Jesus Christ!
“You are the light of the world. [Lights all the way across the top of a dam cannot be hidden!] …
In the same way, let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16
