When my wife and I are overtired, the quality of our show selection wanes. We tend to scan through the channels briefly until we stumble upon some show title that has even a slightest bit of interest. Most nights my wife has a remote and I watch my computer screen. But last night I had the remote and was in charge of all things absorbed into our subconscious minds. Mu-a-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!
Naturally, I selected a show that had at least SOME content. Not like those shows my wife watches. No! This show was far superior in many ways. It was one of those "how-to" shows. You know. Informative, instructional, and there was an opportunity for Biblical discussion during the commercials. The show I selected had action, excitement and a deeper spiritual meaning than some of the house-flipping, gossip spreading, oh-so-predictable murder mystery shows my wife watches. Ha! Finally!!! A chance at watching a REAL show!! I'm talking about, of course, Doomsday Preppers.
Yeah . . . it was a poor choice. There are so many better things to be doing besides watching television. But it was one of those nights when I didn't want to "think" about anything. I just wanted to do nothing. And if we're looking to turn off our minds and zone, what better vehicle than television - the nation's favorite baby-sitter!
As we began watching the show my wife began to laugh over the crazy things these people were doing. Me too. They were really more than just a little overboard in their preparedness. Bullet proofing the family SUV with a 1/4" steel plating exoskeleton, target practise for the kids . . . with an AK-47. But our favorite was the 12" diameter steel tubes, filled with supplies and welded shut, dropped into the ocean off Alaska's coast for later retrieval after the tsunami apocalypse (sigh).
It amazes me that God is still so patient with us. We disappoint Him every day. We sin like there's no tomorrow. Hmm . . . no tomorrow. And then we believe that we are still capable of somehow beating the odds and surviving the end of the world?
To be honest, the whole prepping thing kind of interests me. My wife does stockpile some items that we tend use a lot, like toilet paper, Puffs, light bulbs, Multi-Grain Cheerios (hey, they're good!). We do have storage shelves downstairs. When my wife sees something on sale she buys lots of it. That's not prepping so much as it is smart shopping.
But then I think about God. What would He think about all this "prepping" stuff? Isn't it kind of like we're not trusting Him to provide for us? That's EXACTLY what it's like!
"11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’”
17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.
19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”
20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them." - Exodus 16:11-20
There is an important lesson to be learned from the Israelites and the desire to "store treasures up here on earth." We need to place our trust in God, not depend on ourselves for survival. When the end of the world comes I don't plan on being here. Neither should anyone else who follows Jesus.
We who call ourselves Christians have placed our faith in Jesus Christ. It is because of that faith, and the making Jesus Lord of our lives, that we will be saved. We are deserving of death for our sins but "it is by grace you have been saved, not by works." Place your faith and trust in Jesus. Then, when the end comes, we will stand, arms open wide, and embrace the coming of our King.
"Blessed be the one who comes in the name of the Lord." - Matthew 23:39
Read what Jesus said about the end of the world in Matthew 24
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