The Storm Warning
The winds howl, the rain comes down in buckets followed by hail crushing the newly planted garden. The siren begins to blow, warning those nearby to find a safe place that will offer protection from what is about to come. You and your family head for the basement, a closet, or the bathroom, praying for protection from something that is out of your control and stronger than anything you have ever encountered.
Maybe you have seen news coverage of the damage that a tornado can do to a family, a home, a town. Or maybe you have firsthand experience. Your knowledge and experience tell you that heeding the warning and taking your family to safety will give you all a better chance of survival. You acknowledge the power of the storm and give heed to the warning.
Imagine a siren sounding and no one taking notice. The storm is on the horizon and everyone is going about their lives, as if nothing is happening. A family is out for an afternoon picnic in a nearby park. The children are playing while the parents enjoy some quiet conversation. A young man is nearby taking his new sailboat out for its first excursion. There may be a community function taking place under the pavilion. No one is taking cover and no one seems to understand the danger bearing down on them.
Why? It could be a lack of knowledge. They may not connect the sounding of the siren to the need to take life saving measures. This scenario may seem more a like a chapter from a book of fiction than real life, or is it?
In Proverbs 1:7 we learn that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. In today’s society there are many who do not have the needed knowledge to heed the warnings in the pages of their own Bibles. Is it because they have no fear of God?
Fear of God is to acknowledge His power, His righteousness, and His right to govern in our lives. Many today will stand in awe of a storm, fearing the damage that it can leave behind. Yet, they will deny the power of the One responsible for creating the universe, the weather, and the power behind the storm.
When you can acknowledge God and stand in awe of who He is and what He represents, you can then begin to have the kind of knowledge that will allow you to hear the warnings that God speaks clearly through His Word. Along with that knowledge you will need wisdom to discern right from wrong, and God’s way of life from the ways of this world.
In James 1:5-8 we are told that if anyone lacks wisdom, he can ask without doubting and God will give him wisdom and give it liberally.
There is an end time storm coming on this world. It is important that we are able to hear the warnings and understand their meaning. Do not be caught off guard, going about your daily life, unable to understand what is going on around you. Put yourself in a position to hear the warning, to understand what it means, and to have the wisdom to act accordingly.
The United Church of God offers free booklets, sermons, and information for those interested in learning more. The links below will offer you an opportunity to learn more about the right kind of fear, gain knowledge based in His word, and understand what is coming at the end of this age. Take a journey through your Bible and discover knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.
BT Daily video, Where Does Wisdom Reside?
Booklet, The Book of Revelation Unveiled
Booklet, Jesus Christ the Real Story
