Tornadoes, Floods, and Other Warnings

All day today there was an uneasy feeling in the air. It was hot, humid and extremely windy. Weathermen across Oklahoma announced that the threat of severe weather was imminent. They had predicted it since last week. And now, several hours later, their predictions were correct....extremely correct. Almost 30 tornadoes ripped through the north-mid to east sections of our state. Sadly, it's being reported that four or five have lost their lives in these storms. The devastation is horrible. People are without their homes and businesses.  Many are waiting to hear from their loved ones to make sure they are safe and unharmed.

With all of the radar information in today's world, warnings for these storms were given well in advance. Just think of the difference in casualties there would be if there hadn't been an early warning given. It's a grim thought, isn't it?

Now take your mind back to thousands of years ago and think about the great flood of Noah's time, as told in Genesis 6-9. God warned Noah of what he was about to do. He told Noah what he needed to do to be prepared and Noah did as he was commanded. Sadly, apparently no one else around - except for Noah and his family - cared why Noah happened to building a big huge ark. If they did wonder, maybe they just thought he was crazy. We aren't told what the people thought or what they might have said.  We can imagine, but the Bible doesn't say.  All we know is that God was not pleased with the people.

The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." Genesis 5:5-7

Noah was warned by God in advance of the flood, but those who lost their lives were not.  But, even if there had been flood warnings given back in Noah's time, as they were given today with the terrible tornadoes, it would be safe to assume the wicked people would not have paid any attention to the warnings.  Sadly, it seems that those people were living only for themselves, without any concern for their spiritual souls.  They were living their lives without God.  Other warnings were given in the Bible about impending destruction - in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, the coming of the famine in Egypt, the Israelites about the killing of the firstborn, and the wicked people of Ninevah.

Matthew 24:38-39 warns us of the return of Jesus someday.  We know He is coming back, but we don't know when.  The warning has been issued without date or time.  In fact, as Christians, one of our main goals is to get this word out to others - to seek and safe the lost before that time comes. 

"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. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. "

Being ready and prepared for storms is very important. Staying safe during the storm is also very important.  We must be careful and listen for those warnings.  But, even more important, is heeding the warning of being prepared when our Savior Jesus Christ returns to this earth to accomplish God's ending and the final chapter of His ultimate plan.

"Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21:36

On this Gratituesday, I am grateful for the warnings we have for storms, but I am even more grateful for the warning from God and His desire that we should all come to know Him before it is too late. 

To see what others are grateful for, visit Heavenly Homemakers Gratituesday edition.