HEED THE WARNINGS

Oh, dear Lord~

Hurricane Irene. Everybody has been talking about it all day long on television. It’s understandable since it’s a storm that packs a tremendous wallop. The warnings have been out for days, but the detail has been more intense over the past couple.

As I was cleaning up this evening’s supper dishes, thoughts were racing through my mind of the warnings and reactions about Irene I’d seen and heard the past two days. I saw such similarities to how people treat the admonitions You’ve given in Your Word.

With Irene, there have been some who decided to ignore the mandatory orders to leave the areas. How helpless far-away family members feel; how frightened for their lives! All we can do is keep encouraging loved ones to leave the area and pray they will. Yes, Lord, there is a similar feeling from those of us who have concern for far-away family members and/or friends who refuse to even acknowledge Your existence. We fear for their spiritual lives, but know we have the power of prayer.

When we say, “All we can do is pray,” I wonder what that must sound like to You. “Oh, ye of little faith,” sounds familiar, but I don’t think most people who say, “All we can do…” mean it that way. My guess is most just mean they want to feel like THEY are doing something. For them it has to be something they can point to that is obvious, so they can say, “There, that is what I did.”

But, back to how people responded to Irene, Lord:

Some decided it was their right to play in the pounding waves, basically tempting fate with the idea that no one had the right to tell them otherwise. They seemed to have lack of any consideration for the ones who might be called on to save their careless lives should they be sucked under those same waves they found so enjoyable at present. Isn’t that just the way most of us live our lives until we learn of Your Great Gift of Your Son for our eternal lives? Jesus said He came to give us abundant life. That abundant life is not just in eternity is it, Lord? We have opportunity to share it with You now and all the way into and through eternity! Thank You for saving my soul for now and for eternity, Father!

Then, Lord, there were those who took the warnings seriously, but said they were going to wait to see how the storm behaved, not going to do anything just yet. How like some folks that is, those who choose to put off looking to You for salvation, isn’t it? They want to wait a while longer for a variety of reasons. Sometimes I look at how much evil abounds in the world and I wonder how long You will be patient, Father, but I always remember what 2 Peter 3:9b says about Your not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. That verse says “any” and “all”, not just the few I might think were worthy to pick and choose, doesn’t it, Lord? Thank You for choosing to be patient. Please help me to learn to see others through Your eyes of love.

Some who heard the warnings acted immediately. No more putting it off, they went out, got the necessary items, boarded up their windows, doors, etc., packed their belongings, and left the area before the last-minute rush so had no reason to wait in a long line for gas for their vehicles or to be victims of the short tempers of others. In other words, a person watching might ask why their lives were so charmed! It had to do with planning ahead and putting first things first, didn’t it, God? They heard the warnings, paid close attention to the reality of the circumstances, chose to believe what was before them, and acted upon them. This reminds me of a saying I’ve heard that “Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.” Help us to hear and heed all the warnings that we be prepared to live with You here on earth and there in heaven, no matter what kinds of storms arise between now and then.

M. Sue 8-27-2011