Disaster
The disaster on the Gulf coast is beyond anything we have seen in America in many years. No one knows the real cost to rebuild. No one knows how many lives have been lost. No one knows the long-range impact on our already stretched economy. The one thing we do know is that people are suffering, stranded and in need of help. What I wish were not happening is people playing the blame game. A time of crisis is a time for everyone to rally their energies and resourcefulness and rise to whatever challenge confronts them. It is not a time to demand help and blame the pace of those trying to figure out what to do.
The New Orleans scenario is a microcosm of the end of the world. In people of New Orleans knew they were living below both the sea and a large lake. They knew that a category 5 Hurricane was approaching their city. They were given orders to leave the city. One hundred thousand decided to stay. Now they are caught in a trap and are blaming others for not coming to their rescue sooner.
When Jesus comes again it will not be a pretty sight. Most will be unprepared. All will have had the opportunity to access salvation. All will have been convicted of their plight by the Holy Spirit, but most will have chosen to remain in the condition they were in. The call to evacuate sin will go out to every person, but most will assume that life will continue as it always has, so why change.
I believe that large disasters such as these are wake-up calls for all of us. God wants us to take inventory of our lives. He calls on us to prepare for the coming “storm.” We are not to assume that life will go on as it has. We are nearing the end and we are to wake up to eternal realities.
No matter where we live in this country, we are all vulnerable to some natural disaster. It might not be a hurricane, but it might be a tornado, an earthquake, a tsunami, a flood, a draught, an avalanche, a forest fire, a mud slide, etc. In this world nothing is for sure. As Americans, we have had peace and prosperity for so long within our borders that it has given us a false sense of security. We have provisions and insurances for nearly every scenario. But little by little, our security blanket is being pulled out from under us and we are discovering that we are as vulnerable as anyone else in the world. Perhaps God has a purpose in allowing us to wake up to reality.
I am sure that out of this disaster, we will eventually hear many stories of heroism. Emergencies bring out the worst in some and the best in others. It all depends on what we are made of. I am always amazed at how Americans respond to their fellow Americans in trouble. Americans are a generous and empathetic people. That characteristic is a goodness that Jesus highlighted in many of the stories He told.
According to the book of Revelation, especially the first four trumpets of chapter 8, there are natural disasters coming to our world of a size and proportion that we have never experienced in the past. We do not know their exact nature or extent, but we do know that they will end life the way we experience it now. The coming “trumpets” will dwarf Hurricane Katrina. All of us will be affected. How will we respond? Will we blame God or will we prepare for eternity? It is high time to inventory our spiritual resourcefulness and be ready for what is coming.
Until next week, pray more and evacuate anything keeping you from a complete surrender to God.
Until next week,
Dennis
www.dennispumford.com
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