No Warning?

As the blizzard gets cranked up right on time this morning, I think back to the historical stories of the great plains blizzards of yesteryear. In those days, a warning was hard to come by. Children became entrapped at schools, a church service might become a shelter gathering, and people caught out in the open died. The survivors wrote of ominous moaning winds, shrieking gales, and sudden blinding snow sweeping in across the frozen prairie. We benefit from their experience in our warning and forecasting systems of today.

Knowledge of an impending tornado or blizzard grew from the tragedies. Records were kept, scientists conducted research, and today we are blessed to note that our storms by and large tend to start right on time. We have plenty of warning. In fact, we are surprised when people do not take shelter in time or flee the path of many calamities today. All of this comes at a time when Christians must admit that we cannot name the time of a disaster that will quickly strike the world.

Of course, I speak of that blessed event in which all those who believe in Jesus will be snatched up from the earth in less time than it takes to blink your eyelids. For the world, this will be an unparalleled disaster. Jesus speaks of pairs of people in various activities when one is taken and the other left. We can only imagine the surprise, shock, and bafflement of those left to stare at the empty places. Today, we will have no more warning of this event than at any other time in history.

A man hears the command to kiss his bride. He leans down and lifts the veil to find... no one underneath the cloth! Another sees the head of his newborn daughter peek into the new world, and then... he is staring at an empty place where his wife lay; the doctor is staring at the place where his nurse stood. Hmm, I seem to be favoring the ladies here, must be a subconscious thing. The point is that the moment of the Rapture will be so sudden that there will be time for nothing. No action, no goodbye, just life as we know it one moment, and then life as we will receive it in Christ and with Christ for eternity. Yes, it is hard not to think of that moment when driving down the Interstate at 75mph. What will happen to the truck? (Not to worry, I'm not writing this while driving!)

I wonder this morning, if perhaps the safety devices that shut down vehicles and machines that are more and more common in the world is in preparation for that event we look for. Just something to ponder for a Saturday morning.

God's grace and truth to you on this fine morning!
Bucky