In late August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina was bearing down on Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. Yet, on August 1st, 2005; there was no panic, no emergency preparations, and no damage. Why? Because the future was still unfolding. By the end of August 2005, over $100 billion in losses and over 1,800 lives went into eternity.
There was SO much energy expended into WHAT happened, fingers being pointed, and blame being cast about like a dense fog on a cool morning. But where was the finger pointing on August 1st? Where was the wringing of hands and wondering about family members?
God provides HIS Scripture as a guide of what is GOING to happen at various times that have intended significance. He details with sufficiency to warn us about perilous times. He tells about historic milestones strategically placed throughout history to PROVE His knowledge, capability and sovereignty. He tells us of huge famines that will plague a land for a purpose that affect millions of lives. But He knows exacting details about the smallest of issues in any personal life, like Paul being at a single campfire. A snake comes out and bites Paul. So what? Well, Paul doesn’t die from the poisonous snake. So what? Well, God brings significance to the fact that something traumatic to just ONE person, became an inspiration to millions of others who read about that incident.
The Lord also warned us about precise circumstances about the last days. The specificity of those prophetic predictions are being observed TODAY! Yet, there are those who almost become paralyzed with hypothetical imaginations of doom and angst. Yet, God is STILL in control. Did anyone have the power to stop Katrina? Does anyone have the power to stop a volcano from erupting? Did anyone have the power to stop and earthquake and resulting tsunami in 2011 that wrecked much of northern Japan? NO ONE does. The same God who spelled out the future is the SAME one that shows us His power now!
So to have worry and anxiety means our embrace of our sovereign Lord is insufficient. Does it mean, we can’t be concerned? Well it matters HOW we are concerned. Do we fully trust God? I mean FULLY? What about the stock markets? What about the “pandemic”? What about lawlessness and lack of cherishing human life?
Matthew chapter 7, Jesus speaks directly about the thought process about where to build!
24 – 27; “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
“Lord, those thoughts that comes with analyzing that story means there WILL be floods: Floods of grief; floods of financial hardship, floods of health issues, or floods of relationships strained. But being PREPARED is the answer more than what we do afterwards! Sow good seed in heavenly directions! The uncertainty should ONLY be what great things You will have for us upon our heavenly arrival. The size and type of floods are not relevant. The sinful wickedness of human depravity is with us. The floods of political correctness, intentional discontent, financial upheavals, and broken family ties have overcome many. No one is exempt. Yet, the Lord has provided us with a haven of rest, of assurance, of hope, and of true love. We have no reason to fear the future. “It is written…” is all we need to know. We can face the storm in Your arms! We can rise above it, In Jesus’ Name, Amen!”