On this weekend of March 29-30, 1848, Niagara Falls stopped flowing, to the total shock of all who lived around it.
Over 5,000 locals gathered, walking the cliffs and the dry riverbed. They discovered relics: muskets, tomahawks, bayonets, swords, and human remains.
For many, it was unimaginable, an impossible thought; some called it a miracle, and others believed it was the worldsa国际传媒 end.
I was reminded of this strange historical moment during the summer of 1983 when I travelled from New York to Canada.
For the first time, I stood beside Niagara Falls. I felt a potent mixture of awe and a slight anxiety. Awe, because the force and beauty of the falls took my breath away. Anxiety because, though it was illogical, I found myself not wanting to slip. Such was its overwhelming power, I wondered, how could such a wonder of nature stop flowing? And yet it did.
When an extraordinary convergence of natural events led to the unthinkable, the mighty Niagara River was blocked.
After a freezing winter, a spring thaw loosened thick ice on Lake Erie, followed by a strong southwest wind that pushed massive ice fields into the mouth of the Niagara River.
There was so much ice jammed between Buffalo, N.Y., and Fort Erie, Ont., that it formed a natural dam, cutting off water flow to the falls entirely.
For over 30 hours, virtually no water poured over the falls.
As the river slowed to a trickle, an eerie silence filled the region with panic.
Churches filled up as people feared that doomsday had arrived. But then curiosity overtook fear. Crowds began to explore the riverbed, stumbling upon hidden relics, evidence of battles like Chippawa and Lundy's Lane from the War of 1812. That night, a carnival broke out, with torches lighting the now-dry gorge and people walking where water had once thundered.
Having visited Niagara Falls several times, I can confidently say it is known for its deafening roar. Yet, in 1848, it was the silence that got peoplesa国际传媒 attention. Perhaps thatsa国际传媒 why many turned to the church on that strange day.
In many ways, we live today with a global roar of noise and information, a kind of Niagara of distraction, and in the midst of it, we often miss God's voice. But when life slows down, we can lose momentum, and when things go dry, maybe thatsa国际传媒 when God invites us to listen more closely.
As the Psalmist wrote:
鈥淏e still, and know that I am God鈥 鈥 Psalm 46:10
Niagarasa国际传媒 silence made people look, listen, and even pray. Maybe your season of silence is meant to do the same. Sometimes, still waters can be more revealing than roaring ones.
God may pause the external 鈥渇low鈥 to get to the internal 鈥 your foundation, character, and story.
And I can鈥檛 help but ask: When God slows things down, maybe He's trying to reveal what lies beneath.
Phil Collins is the lead pastor at Willow Park Church in sa国际传媒.