This one was just too perfect to pass up. Due to a severe drought in Mexico, the remains of a 450 year-old church emerged from the receding waters of a reservoir. Architect Carlos Navarete, an expert on the structure, estimates that the building was likely constructed around 1564, then was abandoned because of the "big plagues of 1773-1776."

The church remained visible, however, until 1966 when a dam was constructed and the reservoir created. Plus, the church has even emerged from the depths once before, in 2002. That time, the waters receded so much that people could actually walk around the inside of the remains.

Possible Preaching Angle:

Either way, the image of whitewashed walls emerging wearily from the depths seems appropriate in an age in which many wonder about the role of the church in the modern world. A centuries-old, shell of a church building may not exactly be a sign from above, but it does serve as a reminder that God's Word is eternal, and that he has promised to return for his Bride.