The world seems to be spinning out of control. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the 8.1 magnitude earthquake in Mexico, the threat of nuclear attack from North Korea and the civil unrest in this country have me feeling unsettled. I’ve heard several people say, albeit joking, that it feels like the “end times” are near.
Like so many, I watched the Weather Channel and CNN report around the clock on Irma’s approach. I was fixed on the coverage on TV, on my computer and on my phone for the better part of three days. Those who opted not to evacuate were stocking up on batteries, water and food. Those that were leaving were packing up their belongings and searching for gasoline in order to get out of harm’s way. And just about everyone was boarding up their homes to protect against the storm’s wrath. It was chaos in Florida as people tried to find safety. On the other side of the continent, I was flipping through the Harbor Freight ad looking for a generator — just in case.
I couldn’t help but join others in making the comparison of Irma to the end of the world. What would it be like if the ‘end times’ were near? What if, instead of hurricane warnings, we had warnings that the judgement day was upon us? What if the news reporters were monitoring the second coming of Christ instead of standing in knee-deep water and talking about wind speed? Would people have rushed to church instead of Costco? Would they have been praying instead of packing?
Of course we have been forewarned that our world is transitory, although the media isn’t making it the lead story in the nightly news. “Heaven and earth will pass away…” (Matthew 24:35)
But we don’t know when. “But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.” (Matthew 24:36)
So I’ve been busy making emergency plans. When I told my husband it felt like the “end times” were coming, I asked if we should invest in a bomb shelter (they’re selling like crazy, according to the L.A. Times). He smiled and suggested calmly that we look for a soul shelter instead.
A soul shelter. What a concept. I immediately settled down at the thought. That’s what matters, our souls. That’s what we should be working hard to perfect and protect. So that’s our new emergency preparedness plan–one that’s sure to stand the test of an angry world.