Let’s consider the following scenario: You’re walking into your first day on a new job. It is a large place, with several hundred employees. You know that very soon your’ll be having interaction with dozens and dozens of these strangers. But the only two that have welcomed you, or even reached out to you thus far are your immediate supervisor, and the HR Director! It’s like walking into a new school, in a new state, half-way thru the school year. It can bring on a real feeling of aloneness, even when in a crowd… as if you are a ghost no one can see! Why won’t anyone reach out to me? It’s almost as bad as being slapped in the face!
Fast forward to the last week in our area. The entire central portion of the US had a week of sever weather, with high winds and very heavy rains. These storm systems also produced tornados, which inflicted heavy damage in some areas, and even causing death and injuries. These heavy rains caused flooding accompanied by major property damage. Weather-wise, it’s been a rough week.
Fortunately, modern weather forecasting has given us ample warning time to prepare.
One of the early warnings issued last week was to be prepared for possible power outages. We have an electric range, so no power would mean no cooking. Carol gave me a list of items that we might need over a period of 2 or 3 days, and off to Kroger I went! The place was packed. The ‘deadline’ for when the possible tornadoes were to hit was fast approaching. Carol called me and said to forget the groceries, stop shopping, and to find a safe place in Kroger and hunker down. I was instruted to STAY THERE!
I’ve seen my fair share of TV news-tornado-aftermath-coverage, and I know that tornados are not kind to Kroger, Lowes, Bed bath and Beyond, or to shopping centers in general. I was already in the check-out lane, so I checked out.
There’s an old country song that says, ‘If you can’t be with the one you love, then love the one you’re with.’ Putting a twist to that, I decided that if I was about to die, I’d much rather die with the one I loved… than die with strangers I was with!
I made it home just as a real tornado passed overhead less than a mile away! Needless to say, I was very grateful, thankful, and happy to be alive and safe. The whole thing was a very frightening experience. We were so relieved when it was over!
And then, once again, only yesterday, very similar storm warning were issued. Everyone it seemed, was taking them seriously. I had an eye appointment that morning, and was told to come in early, as they would be closing early due to the weather. Folks that we know were told that their workplaces were closing early. Our church cancelled all meetings, including church service, that afternoon/night. The city was basically closing down early yesterday!
We stayed home, stayed in, and enjoyed watching TV!
And then last night… after the weatherforcasters had said ‘all clear’ and the danger was passed, and there was no storm damage, and all was good again and ‘right with the world,’ I began preparing for bed. And that’s when it hit me… my reason for writing this personal confession, and my reason for wanting to share it with you.
Last night it suddenly hit me. In all the ‘action’ involved with that earlier storm only days before, when that danger had passed, I was thankful, I was greatful, and I turned by heart toward Heaven in sincere appreciation to God for allowing us to be spared from harm. I was aware of His loving hands around me! But this time, last night for some reason, I had come complacent… I had lacked that same awareness of His loving providence! It was as if I had ignored His loving, caring, intervention into our lives. I was shaken… not as much by what I had done, but by what I had not done!
That’s when He showed me the lesson in all this… in His wonderful, loving, way!
Earlier that night, when the storm had left our area, and all was once again right with the world, I had simply gone on with my life, without pausing to recognize HIM and His presence in this situation. It was as if I had treated HIM as the new kid on the block… the new one at school… the new employee simply ignored.
Like I said before, it was almost as if I’d slapped My Lord in the face! That’s how I felt.
Wow! To think that I could have done that!
Now I had two things to thank Him for. One: for His mercy in protecting us (and others) from the storm outside… and Two: for His amazing grace in revealing to me what I could be inside, and yet still loving me enough to expose that to me!
THANKS LORD! Thank you for still loving me!
Pen In Hand 