The Coming Storm

Weather Preacher
(by R.P.Edwards)

“Twenty minutes”
The preacher said
“The storm will come
And leave you…dead.
Unless, of course,
You’ve built “the room,”
To hide your life,
And cheat…the tomb”

It’s been a couple days since Death’s scythe dipped down and reaped at least 117 souls from Joplin, Missouri; a city named after a Methodist minister. Ironically (and I’m not trying to be, in any way, insensitive or callous), but the very day after the “false” prediction of the apocalypse occurred; on that Sunday, perhaps minutes or hours after some joked about the error (a natural thing to do); on that very day, over one hundred of our fellow Americans…met their personal end, in a violent, tragic, merciless…way.

Listen: the story involving a Midwestern town in pain will, for most of us, quickly fade.  Even now, a couple days later, we‘ve entered the “heroic populace” stage.  The “we will rebuild” stage.  And the devastating blow of May 22, 2011--that brought a city to it’s knees, and a nation to tears--will, like the punishing body blow…slowly begin to heal.  Some, of course, will relive the terror…everyday.  But for most, with time, the moment…will fade.

Here’s my point:  If we “know” a problem, a difficulty, a destructive “event” is coming; we’ll prepare for it (if we’re wise at all).  I guarantee you, if the victims of this “storm” had known, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that a tornado was coming; they could have prepared.  And, although we’re good about teaching our kids how to live in society, and get an education, and get a job to fill their lives with time-consuming stuff.  Do we, dear reader, prepare ourselves, and them, for the “on the horizon” storm that is heading our way?  Honestly, shouldn’t we prepare for this “certain” event?  Don’t we owe it to ourselves, our spouse, our children…to prepare for what MUST take place?

Alright.  Enough of that.  Different fare to come.  But, if you’ve stayed with me this far, could you please activate the youtube link to follow?  It’s the recording of the few in the convenience store’s cold-storage who were faced with death.  This crucible reduced them to their core; to the place where all peripherals were immediately shed, and the essentials of life and living…were brought to the forefront.  Hopefully it won't take "near" death, for us to prepare for the real thing.Trapped
 
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Known...to God

 

 

To be Known
(by R.P.Edwards)

Oh, to be known
That is our dream
That many would know…who we are
But flesh comes and goes
With its notice and knows
Known to God
Is better…by far

I had popped in a Christmas Cassette (still not “over it”) and proceeded to put together a one-egg omelet;  egg, Italian cheese, Mexican cheese, and some of a mini-summer sausage thing that came in a Christmas package a couple weeks back.  Some old sourdough bread in the toaster, and coffee from the Bunn completed the feast.  Then, as the yuletide tunes intermingled with the waftings…I heard it.  A siren.  A barely audible (Christmas tunes, plus window fan obscured) oversized alarm-clock type irritating…buzz.  I listened more closely.  A tornado warning.  Not a test.  A warning.  And here it was, the last day of 2010.

Well, the TV weather folk--who had preempted a basketball game to interject--showed the radar picture.  Ominous.  A blazing red line of storms; the kind that birth…tornadoes; barreling towards us.  We sent the kids to the basement and…went to the porch.  Got a little hairy (and yeah, I know the "porch" thing was dumb), but no twister. And, although we were spared, some, nearby, were not.  Indeed, in a place called Sunset Hills, where a tornado had touched down and wreaked havoc--but injured “no one”--the mayor unabashedly said… “It was a miracle.”  And, at least one other, when asked of the ordeal, mentioned the beseeching of God as their roof…caved in.

Now, I’m not embarrassed in the least to say that we, also, had sought the aid of the one who calmed the sea.  We’re Christians.  Our lives are incomplete…without Jesus.  And, frankly, this is not an admission of weakness, but rather of…reality.  Indeed, not one more breath is possible…without Him.  The problem is, many are unaware, or forgetful of our dependence.  And, when a nation has forgotten, then it may very well take a storm…to bring us to our senses.   Now, in the natural the weather folk warned us of the impending wind--warnings that probably saved lives.  Oh, how we need the spiritually discerning to warn the rest--“the rest” being a nation that thinks itself independent and immovable--that a storm of another kind--the kind that can break us down to our very foundation--is on its way.  Perhaps the warning…will produce prayer.  But if not…the storm…surely will.

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