Hurricane Preparedness

"Because I called and you refused,
I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
And you neglected all my counsel
And did not want my reproof;
I will also laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your dread comes,
When your dread comes like a storm
And your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,
Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the LORD.
They would not accept my counsel,
They spurned all my reproof.
So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way
And be satiated with their own devices."
Proverbs 1:24-31 (NASB)

Hurricane season will begin in a few short months here in Florida. Ads for hurricane shutters will start popping up everywhere as stores set up displays for generators and other storm gear of all kinds. But don’t expect crowds of shoppers to run out immediately to buy up all those goods!

No, the rush will begin the day a major storm starts heading our way. Then worried shoppers will descend on the stores, stripping storm gear from the shelves like a plague of locusts. The day the storm hits, many will still be vainly searching for last-minute supplies.

Everybody knows that the best time to prepare is before the storms come. That’s even truer of wisdom, because hardships, temptations and difficult decisions generally come upon us unannounced. It takes a heart attuned to God’s ways and His wisdom to respond with grace and confidence.

In this passage, wisdom personified gives us a solemn warning: The storms of life can arrive at any time. The time to stock up on wisdom is now!

Free for the Taking!

Wisdom shouts in the street,
She lifts her voice in the square;
At the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
"How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded?
And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing
And fools hate knowledge?
"Turn to my reproof,
Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
Proverbs 1:20-23 (NASB)

“Ignorance of the law is no excuse!” That has been a key principle of law since the days of Ancient Rome. Otherwise, it would be all too easy to commit an offence and then say, “I didn’t realize that was against the law!”

Our legal system assumes that citizens know the basic requirements of the law and that those involved in specialized activities like driving a car will get to know the rules that apply to those activities. The same is true of God’s wisdom.

God makes His wisdom freely available in His Word and even in the wonders of His creation. It’s up to us, however, to take it in.

Who wouldn’t want His wisdom? All too many people, it seems. There are those who are satisfied with being gullible, and who wear their naiveté like a badge. Others won’t accept anything that might challenge their cynical, wisecracking approach to life. Others simply hate to admit that anyone has anything to teach them.

How about us? The terms of the contract are so very simple. Are we ready to admit that we don’t know it all, and accept what God has to teach us? If so, He offers us access to His coffers to take all the wisdom we want!