We need to seriously pray for the American Southwest. A disaster of immense proportion and far-reaching implications is developing that will create suffering and the potential for social unrest if a change does not come, and soon. 

I’ve been following what is happening with Lake Mead on the Colorado River. Lake Mead has the largest water storage capacity of any lake in the United States. The stored water in the lake and the electricity generated by the hydroelectric power plants on Hoover Dam are on the verge of shutting down. The water level has dropped so low that it could fall below the intakes on the dam that supplies water and generates electricity for 20 million people in the region. It also supplies irrigation for an immense expanse of farmland across several states.

What we forget in our assumptions about a never-ending supply of the basics for life, like water and power, is the possibility they may not always be available. If this drought continues, can you imagine what Los Angeles will look like if there is no reliable water source or no electricity? What would the southwest of the United States become if masses of people begin to panic and have nowhere to go? Some who are reading this have never imagined such a scenario. It’s the stuff of Hollywood.

Our assumptions and our rose-colored glasses will not help us. Not only is this kind of disaster upon the citizens of the region at this time, but it will also have a ripple effect across the nation if the rains don’t come. It will take years of repeated wet winters to build back the water levels that have been lost.

Our faith must be practical. Our spiritual ancestors prayed for rain because they had no unrealistic assumptions about life. Today, our ranchers and farmers are the only ones who seriously pray regarding such issues because they are at the head of our food supply chain and understand what is at stake. The American Southwest is facing the prospect of a continued drought with no end in sight. The potential for social unrest and increasing levels of fear about the future will manifest in ways we have never seen before if this situation does not take a turn. As they say, “this is about to get real.”  Those who understand such realities will pray.