Suddenly, inescapably, like a thief in the night

How’s your week? This week was full of surprises, ups and downs for me.

For all of us this week began with a tragic news of the F3 Tornado destroying picturesque Goderich in 2 minutes. Hearts of many moved people into action. I got a lot of calls and responses pleading to organize volunteering action. After a few phone-calls and emails I learned that during the first days only trained professionals are “welcomed” in the area. The volunteer force has to wait for the “green light.” Some of you may have heard about a Londoneer volunteer who got injured on the first day after, ending up in a hospital with broken pelvic bone, tail bone, and more, being propelled from a tree, while chainsawing it.

Monday many were upset with the news of Jack Layton passing, quoting his epistle to Canadians just a few days before – I saw it on your Facebook, twitter, and other social media “my friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world." Wonderful words, relevant words. Are we putting it in practice?

Then the earthquake in Washington. Then another tornado near Ailsa Craig & Nairn levelling the trailer park on Thursday. Those three days I was battling my kitchen ceiling, that suddenly peeled off and fell to the floor, after we tried to apply a popcorn stucco texture to it. In the process we discovered that an old leak, before we reshingled the roof, did sufficient damage to the ceiling. My whole schedule was set back by three days, and that’s while expecting the church family for potluck this Sabbath!

Friday morning we (Stepan & myself) did the final Bible study with Stajfer family, who are preparing their teens for baptism in October. The study was on the Biblical view of the last day events. A trend that is often repeated by evangelists in evident – “suddenly and inescapably,” the “thief in the night” reference not to a quiet and unnoticeable, but rather surprising, unexpected turn of events. How ready are you to deal with surprises?

As I talked with our ADRA director pastor Sargeant, we pondered how we must respond with readiness as we understand that end times will only escalate the frequency of disasters and challenges. Even as we live our day-to-day routine, knowing that troubles will increase in frequency just like birth-pangs, how must we live?

I invite you, church family to examine your personal life – are you ready for unexpected? Are you ready to meet adversities, without being alarmed, and being prepared to help others? Will you be an asset or liability for the Disaster Relief Agencies? Would you need others to salvage your stuff? Or would you be able to go and help others?

Be ready. Get ready. Live prepared.