The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever. 11May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace! (Psalm 29:10-11)

It is interesting when you can paint a picture as beautiful as David does in Psalm 29 about a disaster of epic proportions as the flood (Genesis account of God destroying entire generations of creation including man and all the beasts he created). God's power was on full display in the flood. He spared only Noah and the great ark spared all living things of the land.

Salvation, too, uses water combined with the Word to display God's power. From the Lutheran Study Bible study notes on Psalm 29:

"God’s power is a terrifying thing. The sound of His voice brings forth creation, shakes the mountains and trees, and unleashes the great flood that destroyed the earth. We sinners might be destroyed by the power of His holy, powerful voice. Yet “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). God came to us in Jesus to speak His love and grace. In Baptism, flood and voice combine to cleanse us (this psalm was traditionally used at Baptisms). Hearing His gracious voice, we join heaven and earth in praise."

What the waters of the great flood did not do was eliminate the entirety of sin from the earth. God, then, as the study notes eloquently point our, uses water again to eliminate the consequences of our sin, when he combined it with his Word, in the form of spoken through scripture and in the form of his Son, Jesus.

Yes, we still die, but because of the healing nature of the power of God, the evil that dwells within us no longer has reign in our lives. We turn away from our sinful lives and turn to God, who sees us as cleansed and worthy through the waters of Holy Baptism.

Pray with me: Gracious Father, we are in awe when we see your full power on display in nature and in worship. You "return us to you" in the sacrament of baptism using water and Word combined to produce faith and forgiveness of sin. Thanks be to you, O Lord, for your power to overcome sin, Satan and death. In Christ's name, Amen.

Excerpt from The Lutheran Study Bible ©2009 Concordia Publishing House