The pictures of the devastation experienced by the nation of Japan recently as the result of earthquakes and tsunamis are terrifying. Walls of water, mud, and debris raced across the landscape, destroying everything in their path. Entire houses, cars, and boats floating along like toys in a bathtub. I couldn’t help but think that people were losing their lives as I watched. There must have been families in some of those houses. There must have been workers in some of those buildings and fields. There must have been some passengers in some of those cars and boats. Some had time to escape but others didn’t. But my guess is that probably everyone got up that morning and thought that the coming day would be just like any other day. Little did they know that the coming day would be unlike any other day they had ever experienced.
I do the same thing. My waking thoughts are never filled with visions of a coming catastrophic event. I can’t remember ever starting a day with serious doubts as to whether I would live through it. Usually, I’m thinking about what I am going to do and where I need to be (James 4:13). I naively move from moment to moment as if they were owed to me. But they are not. Maybe next time, it will be me swallowed up by water and mud. Perhaps my life will be cut short by a natural (or unnatural) disaster. Maybe the drunk driver will hit my car or maybe it will be my heart that skips one too many beats. Who knows???
I realize the tone of this piece is a bit dark, but from time to time I need a heavy dose of reality. What happened in Japan is one of those reality checks. It re-emphasized for me that life can be a fragile and fleeting thing (James 4:14). And I am reminded that, while I can’t control the future, I can be ready for whatever the future brings. Jesus Christ is disaster insurance!
God loves you!
Mike
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