Storm Series Part I - Be Prepared

Be prepared.  It's not just the Boy Scout's motto.  It's the warning we heard again and again over the previous 10 days or so.

Stock up on non-perishable food...water...batteries.  Buy a generator...candles...matches.  Fill a tub with water.  Tie down or put away outside objects that could blow away.  A storm is coming.

Frankenstorm.

      The Perfect Storm.

            The Storm of the Century!

Newspapers, radio, television...media outlets near and far warned of the impending wrath.  Loss of property.  Loss of life.  It's coming...be warned.

The warnings became a two-edged sword.  Some heard it so often, it became room noise.  Knowing about the impending hurricane so far in advance took away the urgency.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah.  A storm is coming...enough already...let's get back to the regularly scheduled program."

"It's just a ploy to boost sales of batteries...generators...fill in the blank." 

"They always make a big deal about these things and then they just seem to blow over."

Then the clouds began to roll in.  The rain fell.  And the winds picked up...fast..  And suddenly, it all became very real.  No longer did the nay-sayers believe the impact of what was coming was over-hyped. 

There is another warning going out my friends.  Matthew 24:42 says "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.".  It's also easy to allow that warning to become room noise...to doubt its urgency.

"People have said Christ is returning since the beginning of time."

"It's just a tactic of fear to get you back in church."

"Didn't some guy just  predict the end of the world?  Twice?  And you see how that worked out!"

First, the Bible says in Matthew 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."  So if anyone says they have an exact day and time, they are a liar.

But that doesn't mean the time is not coming.  Matthew 24:37-39 tells us "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."

And 2 Peter 3:10 warns "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up."

The reality of the return of Christ will become very real, very quickly.   While it's been predicted for so long you may be tempted to be complacent, don't be caught off guard.  The results of being unprepared for this warning are so much greater than lack of power or loss of property - as devastating as those things are to us in this life.  Being caught unaware means loss of life.  Eternal life. 

The warnings are not there to invoke panic or fear.  For those who believe in Christ, the ones whose hearts are prepared, the warnings are a comfort.   A chance to prepare for the safety and security of an eternal home.  Unlike the earthly storm we've just weathered, it will not adversely affect everyone in its path.  Only those unprepared will find themselves at a loss. 

Believe the storm is coming...and be prepared.

Be prepared

I know a lot of people have blogged about "the week that was" here in New Jersey.  A week in which an earthquake, tornados, and a hurricane all made an appearance.

Some people joked it was the end of the world...others gave warning that these were indeed signs of things to come.  I think it can be used as a modern day parable to speak to the condition of people's hearts.

There was a lot of warning with hurricane Irene.  Our modern technology has allowed us to view weather patterns a week or more in advance.  It was splashed all over the news and millions were told how to prepare.  Those that heeded the warnings when they were first sounded were able to find what they needed to be safe...generators, flashlights, and batteries for starters.  They gassed up their cars in case they had to leave in a hurry.  They bought essentials like bread, milk, and eggs.  As the day drew near, they were able to rest assured that they had done as much as they could to be ready...and after the storm, no one regretted having done so in advance.

Another group delayed.  They heard the warnings, they knew in their hearts they should be listening and preparing, but for one reason or another, they didn't get around to it.  So when the rain began to fall, these foolish people wound up scurrying about, uncertain of their fate as they discovered many opportunities to ready themselves had slipped through their fingers.

Still others scoffed.  They didn't believe the warnings.  "It's no big deal," they said.  They underestimated the elements and found themselves without provisions...or worse yet, they challenged the power of the wind and the rain and found themselves in need of rescue, but sadly, it was too late.

Which group do you belong to?  You've heard the warnings for a long time.  Jesus' return is on the radar and the signs point to His arrival.  When he comes, how will he find you?  Prepared and ready?  Searching and uncertain?  Or mocking and defiant?  Don't leave things to the last minute or gamble on chance.  There is no reason to delay.  Wisdom says time is of the essence.  Accept Him now while his grace and mercy are abundant, available and free and you will never live to regret it.