Who on earth has tornadoes in January? Welcome to Alabama. The early morning hours were pretty eventful this past Monday as twisters blasted part of Center Point and Clay into rubble. Trussville and Moody also suffered damage. Because our church family is spread out over a wide area, some were up all night while others slept with no knowledge of what was happening. A few of our folks had damage from falling trees, others sacrificed shingles to the wind, and some were without power for a few days, but we’re all alive and well, thank God! We are truly a blessed people. As it was last April, Monday morning was a reminder of the fragility of life.

The apostle Peter warned, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Peter 3:10). We had warnings on the news that the storms were coming, but frankly, I didn’t expect the degree of damage they brought. Likewise, we are warned multiple times in the Bible that the Lord is returning in judgment, yet how seriously do we take it on a daily basis? Maybe we can learn a lesson here.

We will have no warning on the nightly news, but the Lord is coming to judge the world. “You yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them…” (1 Thessalonians 5:2,3). The time to prepare is today. When the end comes, it will be too late.              

- Steve