Are You Ready?

…Of perceiving disasters as they are headed our way. Hurricanes and tornadoes are becoming easier to predict, and even easier to evade. Tsunamis and earthquakes are being identified early with technologically advanced sensors to anticipate disasters. Heat. Cold. Winds. Rain. Flooding. Snow. Ice.

Of course, our weather forecasters bear the brunt of missed diagnosis when the forecast does not quite materialize as they project.

We have learned how to address disasters of the “mobile” kind. When flying I learned the conditions that would cause wing icing and knew what to do to avoid it from occurring, or how to extricate myself from the potential death spiral of an unexpected spin. When driving and the car starts to spin out of control, I learned (though probably never practiced) how to steer out of the spin and back to normal driving. This goes for icy roads as well as wet conditions.

Mt St Helens erupted with deadly force back May 18, 1980. We moved to Alaska that fall and experienced horribly ash filled wet roads on the drive from San Francisco to Seattle to catch the Alaska Marine Highway ferry, Matanuska, north. We went through several bottles of windshield washer fluid. Ash, mixed with snow and rain made a mess of our experience. We were constantly looking for ways to hose off the windshield, lights, and radiator to keep the truck in good driving conditions. Logging trucks were everywhere cleaning up the debris field. It was an amazing drive.

The mountain has been rebuilding. The pressure dome is still in place and steadily expanding its reach to the skies. There are times it looks extremely beautiful as this picture portrays, yet, the pressure underground is simply a time bomb ticking down to another uncertain eruption.

From the north of Seattle, looking south, we see the beautiful city skyline with another time bomb ticking – Mt Rainier. Our home is about 35 miles to the west of the mountain and our yard is full of rocks and boulders from a mudflow (lahar) that happened hundreds of years ago. Large granite rocks that make it impossible to anticipate how to add structures to the property without commercial equipment to move them out of the way! It is difficult to dig holes for trees or fence posts, or practically for anything you want to go underground. The boulders are bigger than the bed of my truck!

We may enjoy the beauty of the world around us, but as we all know (for the most part), beautiful sunsets are there as a result of all the man-made pollution and natural debris in the air from disasters!

For millineum, we have looked at the world and tried to predict what would happen next. For the same time period, we have been clueless! I’m thinking about Mt Vesuvius and the surprise that left an entire countryside wiped out from not understanding the power of a volcano.

Locally, we are taught to have an emergency kit ready for disaster. In fact, their motto is: Be Informed, Make a Plan, Build a Kit (This is a valuable link!) Food, water, batteries, crank radio, shelter, and do not forget supplies for your animals! An endless project for every potential need! For decades we have practiced being ready for the next “big one” – whatever that might be in your part of the world.

But what about that event that you cannot prepare a kit for?

I turn my thought to considering preparation along the spiritual part of my life. Disasters happen all the time and have been happening for a long time, but what do I do to ensure my spiritual life is in order for the next big event?

The Apostle Paul, on his way to Rome as a prisoner, combined his spiritual sensitivity to his natural understanding of the conditions of the day. He warned the captain of his ship not to leave port, but it happened anyway.

“Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster
and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship,
but also our lives.” (Acts 27:10 NKJV)

Then, when disaster strikes and all human life is doomed, he tells the captain how to survive with all lives intact. Finally. A willing captain follows his directions and everyone survives!

Sometimes we listen, albeit a little too late for the success of all concerned! Though lives were saved, the cargo and the ship were doomed!

Even Jesus gave a fair warning! It was a “historical fact” that there were signs you could read and comprehend the conditions that would be met within a time period.

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.  

Matthew 16:1-4 ESV

What we see today is really no different than has been experienced in prior generations, but the day will come when the warning of the times will be too late and we will all be caught unaware.

Many will not be prepared. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 

Matthew 24:34-39 ESV

Here’s my thought today. From all my positions in life, I believe there is a disaster coming for this world that no “kit” can have you prepared for – it makes sense to simply be ready… Every… Single… Moment… Asking yourself, “Am I ready?” should put you into a contemplative mode. Ask yourself the big questions and do not be afraid of the answers. Look yourself in the eye of your personal mirror and convince yourself that getting ready for that spiritual event is more important than worrying about the natural event that we are getting very good at forecasting.

Again, Jesus reiterates this fact. We cannot know when the big event will take place!

“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.  (43)  Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into.  (44)  You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

Matthew 24:42-44 NLT

“Ready or not, here I come.”…