Storm Warnings

By Charlotte Riegel –

The media warned, over and over again, “A big storm is heading our way. High winds, drifting snow, and plummeting temperatures will arrive sometime overnight. The commute to work tomorrow is expected to be very challenging. If you can work from home, please do.”

Twenty-four hours later major highways were closed after several multi-vehicle accidents and huge drifts made travel impossible. No one was going anywhere while the winds continued to blow and the snow continued to pile up everywhere.

People were told to stay home. “If you choose to be out there and get into trouble, slide off the road or get stuck in a snow drift, you will be on your own because no one will be able to come to your aide,” cautioned the authorities. “The plows and emergency vehicles are unable to maneuver the roads because of deep snow drifts and zero visibility. For the sake of everyone, please stay off the roads and wait till the storm passes by and road crews can clear the snow enough for driving on.”

And yet, people considered themselves invincible, disregarded all the warnings, and proceeded to drive, usually meeting a snow drift too big to plow through or a ditch too deep to exit.
This reminds me of the ‘storm warnings’ in Revelations. Lots of cautions are listed. Signs of the coming ‘storm’ at the end of this age are abundant. Yet, people choose to ignore these warnings believing themselves invincible and continue on their merry way, perhaps looking for adventure.

Adventure is sure to be found, both for the prepared and the unprepared. The final storm blows ever nearer. When exactly it will hit, no one knows, yet we are indeed foolish not to prepare because it WILL come. Perhaps it’s time to read the Book of Revelation and be reminded of the intensity of the coming storm.

Prayer: “Lord God of Heaven and Earth, help me not to take lightly Your storm warnings but to prepare well for its arrival.”

“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near” (Revelation 1:1-3 NIV).