
- Proverbs 22:3 (ESV)
Those of us who live in the Sunshine State experienced a dangerous situation on Friday as Hurricane Matthew meandered just off shore as he moved up the Atlantic coast. For many of us, it was a near miss as the storm stayed far enough out to sea to preclude major inland damage other than the inconvenience of having a power outage. But for those directly on the coast or adjacent thereto where large rivers were located, major flooding caused much havoc and life will be changed dramatically for many for the foreseeable future. We who were the lucky ones need to thank God for sparing us while we also pray for those less fortunate who are suffering. We also must do what we can to assist in their recovery. And the same approach needs to be applied on behalf of those north of us who are still feeling the rage of an angry hurricane.
But whether we were directly and seriously impacted from this storm or just inconvenienced, it offers just another example of how we must be prepared. Storms come and go and life goes on and each of us must constantly keep a checklist for life to help us always be prepared. And in addition to having our emergency supplies and plan of action for what to do facing earthly issues, it is critical that we maintain a spiritual plan of action for what is to come when we depart this earth. Nothing is more important than this plan since our eternity will be determined by it.
So what is that plan? Well, it involves opening your heart and activating the Holy Spirit who resides within us. He wants to be our guidance counselor and our advisor in developing and carrying out our spiritual plan for the future. If we take the time to pray, read the Bible regularly and commune in fellowship with others routinely, it will open us up to Him and let Him show us His Way. And that is the plan for salvation that we all need, for without it darkness will be our plight when our time on earth is done.
Make God foremost in all of your plans and preparations for life, for not only will He comfort and help you, he will show you the way to a future so wonderful that you will never have to suffer from storms, pain or suffering ever again. This plan is called eternal life and it is offered by His Son who died on the Cross to afford us the opportunity to create a master plan for life, but only if we believe and live for Him.
Think about this as you go about your clean up and recovery, be it major or small, for accepting His grace and love is the only way to really have a real future, a future which will surpass all understanding of just how great it will be. Have a blessed Sunday.