At long last, my owner’s back from his Summer holiday. He went to the Isles of Scilly, and I was a bit cross that he didn’t take me with him. Although having said that, I’m really rather glad that I wasn’t with him on one particular night. You see, my owner and his wife were camping when Storm Betty struck. They were situated to one side of an official campsite, among a small group of six tents when Betty started to huff and puff. To begin with, things weren’t too bad, but as it started to get dark, Betty threw a furious tantrum. She roared and she howled and the fabric of the tent began to flap around like crazy. Soon, the floor of the tent was trying to lift up so my owner had to lie on it, with his arms and legs stretched out to stop it from taking off. The noise outside was deafening with the nearby sea, the wind and the groaning trees all creating a continuous barrage of sound.
Before long, lights appeared outside. Four of the neighbouring tents had been shredded by Betty’s velocity requiring a hasty evacuation. Meanwhile, to the other side of my owner’s tent, a large branch had fallen from an overhanging tree taking out that tent as well, so that soon, only my owner and his wife were the only ones left in that corner of the campsite. And as they lay there listening to the fury of the storm, they began to wonder whether the large tree overhanging their tent would hold up. It was certainly undergoing a very severe test. And for some moments, as he listened to the commotion outside, my owner began to wonder whether he was yet ready to meet his maker. And that was quite a sobering experience because suddenly, he became all too aware of all of his faults and failings. So how was his relationship with God? And would he really receive the salvation won by Jesus?
These are big questions. In fact, they are pivotal questions. Before any of us die, we need to be ready to meet God. Because when that moment comes, we don’t want to be afraid. Instead, we need to be trusting, faithful and full of joy.
Fortunately, the tree stayed up and my owner and his wife lived to enjoy another day. But with plenty of food for thought!
“I am ready to meet God face to face tonight and look into those eyes of infinite holiness, for all my sins are covered by the atoning blood.”
(R.A. Torrey: [1856-1928]: American evangelist, pastor and writer)
“Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.”
(Amos 4:12)
“The pain that you’ve been feeling can’t compare to the joy that’s coming.” (Romans 8: 18)
