WINTER STORM WARNING

Reading: Romans 13.8-12

Meteorologists are tracking a winter storm that will arrive in the Mid-Atlantic region sometime this afternoon. Prodigious amounts of snowfall are forecast—up to two feet in the counties immediately below Lancaster. Eight to 12 inches here. The chance of this happening is 90%. We are preparing for the winter storm to descend upon us.

Already last night people were emptying the store shelves of bread and milk and bottled water. Schools to the west of us announced early dismissals. Most people in Lancaster hope that the expected “drive time” arrival doesn’t catch them coming home from work.

This morning at 5:30 I began working on our church’s weather plan. Major weekend storms almost always impact Sunday morning worship. We try hard not to cancel services, but to have a service—any service—requires up to 4 ½ hours after the conclusion of a storm to get the church ready to received workers and staff and then worshippers. We have adopted an alternate plan that reduces Sunday morning to one later worship service, but that necessitates some specific planning to be sure that essential staffing occurs.

People like to say, “The weather man is often wrong.” (Around here he has a name, Joe Calhoun) But that is often an excuse not to make preparations or to procrastinate in facing its necessities. When you see a storm coming, you need to plan.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that we must not be too lackadaisical about the return of Christ. We never know (despite those persons who try to computerize the exact date) when it will occur. We never know when time will come to an end and God will establish the New Heaven and New Earth of eternity. We never know when the time will come we must face God’s judgment.

That’s why he says, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love another …” We prepare for God’s return by doing the work of God’s love. We prepare by cooperating with God to turn us into His servants, putting aside the deeds of darkness and putting on the armor of light. We do not deny Christ’s return. We prepare for it by living NOW as if Christ’s return would be as imminent as that winter storm heading towards us.

This email devotional is published on behalf of the Church of God of Landisville and its friends. © 2010 by Stephen Dunn. All rights reserved.