By Ann Osburn These were pleas that were heard in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Water everywhere. Houses destroyed. Possessions gone. Families separated. While the people on the Gulf Coast may have pondered what their future would hold, those who are baptized in Christ can rest assured in this: They have already been drowned through Baptism and raised to new life. Through Baptism, Christ puts us into His boat, the Church. Although turbulent times might rock the boat, we rest assured that we are baptized and that we are God's children. When high tides come and people unexpectedly find themselves sinking in the water, it is certainly fitting that we reach out with our help and support. We should pray for them; provide for their physical needs; and certainly tell these people not only of Jesus' open heart for us, but also of His open side for us as He was crucified for the entire world's sins. He who walks on water came to rescue us from our imminent death. This rescue did not involve water buoys, but wood and nails and Jesus' own body on the cross. The darkness of the grave that ensued is far darker than the dimness that so many along the Gulf Coast may have experienced as their electricity was lost in the storm. Three days after Christ's death, there was light. There was an open grave and Christ had risen from the dead! Joy was brought to those who were in darkness. (Colossians 1:13-14). While we still may experience the raging seas and high tides of this earth, we can be thankful that the calm will one day come, when we will be with our Father in heaven. Until that time, Christ sustains us through His Word and Sacraments and keeps us spiritually safe in His boat. God does not promise that we will be kept physically safe through the sacrament of Baptism, but regarding those He has justified He does promise that neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39). Whether one is riding out a rough storm or resting in the eye of a hurricane, God always has His eye on us, His children. Ann Osburn, originally from Mississippi, is a sophomore studying at Concordia University Wisconsin.