What Can a Day Bring?

Today, I woke up like a normal Friday, my only real "day off" in the week.   Everything in my world is calm and normal.   Yes, there are the little irritations of life, like a stubbed toe that kept me from wearing shoes for the past three days, and traffic issues, there are always traffic issues!   Oh and my precious puppy that likes to eat my furniture..... and on and on..... but overall, my life is really calm and peaceful.

Today my thoughts cannot help but go to the families on the other side of the city, whose whole world literally turned upside down one week ago.   These people lived at the base of a ravine. Why they would ever agree to move there I will never know.  If I understand correctly, they were squatters who had been relocated there because someone wanted the land they were previously on.

There were warnings that the area was unsafe. (In reality, no ravine in Central America during the heavy rainy season would be a safe place to be. Especially if you lived in poorly built houses with tin roofs.)  But some of these people did not even know they were at risk.  

Last Thursday night everything changed, when the mountain gave way and this community was suddenly covered with over 60 meters of dirt and mud.  The most recent count is that 215 bodies have been recovered and there are still hundreds missing.  And several hundred in shelters.  Some will never be found.  The grief and shock of the people has got to be overwhelming.



The picture above shows where the slide took place and the green area with a red circle is the area of elevated risk for another slide.

They really did  not know what was coming, even though they may have been warned, and they may have seen the "warning signs".  Still they expected to go home that night, and sleep, and get ready for a regular Friday workday.  But that day never arrived.

We really have no idea what is coming our way.  It could be you go to the University and some crazy gunman shows up.  Or the earth starts to shake in an unexpected place.  It could be a flood, or a drought, or a storm.....

Our world is in chaos.  Things are heating up in the Middle East.  Russia is aligning with Syria.  Our own government is making unbelievable agreements with madmen.  We are making certain headway toward the time that is called "The Great Tribulation".

The warning signs are everywhere if you are awake and alert to see them.   Denial does not make them go away.  Even the earth is reeling from the increased darkness and sin. We need to be ready for whatever the day brings!

I am not trying to instill fear in you.  Quite the opposite.

Jesus said,

 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33


But Jesus wants to be our peace!  He wants to calm our souls.  He wants us to know that He has overcome the world.

In the End, if you walk with Jesus, YOU WIN!   There might be some testing and trial on the journey between now and that day.  But even, in that, He has promised us grace and help in our time of need. He has promised to never leave or forsake us!    These are the promises to those who believe and trust in Him.

This kind of peace is not offered to the rebellious or the unbelieving.  What is offered to them is the opportunity to repent in order to inherit the promises and eternal life. But even that opportunity has a time limit.  Don't wait...until.

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:4-14

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