Servants of God,
“The prudent see danger and take refuge…”
-Proverbs 27:12
“There simply is no panic in heaven. God is never anxious.
There is no confusion in the Trinity.
God never wrings his hands and wishes he had made a better choice.”
-Paul Tripp
“The earth is the LORD’s…”
-Psalm 24:1a
How good are you at heeding warnings? I like to think that I am pretty good at evaluating and avoiding potential danger if I am aware of the danger. Yesterday started well for me. Half the day had passed in a normal rhythm when suddenly (and without warning) I faced a dental emergency. As I ate lunch, one of my teeth, an upper molar, disintegrated and I needed some immediate attention. Thankfully, Dr. Alderman and his friendly and competent staff shoehorned me into their schedule and got me back together quicker than I dreamed possible. I cannot remember getting better care. If only all emergencies could be addressed and resolved so well!
Because we live in a fallen world, potential emergencies always lurk. A genuine emergency is usually unexpected, dangerous and calls for immediate attention. Normally, emergencies do not come with warnings. Emergencies and foreseeable dangers are not the same thing. Recently our oldest daughter Alicia and her family were among those who experienced the sudden life-changing power of Hurricane Helene. Their family learned some lessons about being prepared for a natural disaster. Few people in western North Carolina anticipated the massive destruction the storm left in its wake. Those who survived best were those most prepared for the dangerous realities the storm brought.
Most of us have what is called the normalcy bias as part of our lives. We tend not to take the warnings of a potential threat as seriously as we should. We may admit that danger is possible but doubt it will touch us. We have lived through enough potentially dangerous situations that we tend to minimize the need to fully heed all the warnings. Don’t the weathermen always exaggerate? But not all dangerous situations involve the weather.
I suggest to you that the upcoming election could (please note “could”) initiate massive social and economic chaos. I believe the current political atmosphere is charged with potential for danger. The last (nearly) four years of the Biden presidency have revealed some dangerously nefarious forces at work in our country. I think we are in a situation that is unprecedented in our nation’s history. Whatever you may think about Donald Trump, it is clear that the current administration (and its allies) has fostered an animosity toward him, hatred for him and fear of him that is unlike anything the United States has endured. Added to the “Trump derangement syndrome” is the track record of progressives (many of them Marxists) who have welcomed millions of unvetted illegal aliens into the nation and systematically undermined the rule of law and support for police. When you factor in the public’s loss of confidence in the nation’s military and the federal law enforcement agencies, our nation’s security is precarious.
If Donald Trump wins the presidential election, I believe the leftists in our nation will pull out all the stops to create an unprecedented national emergency. We should expect riots, and wide-spread luting, disruptions of commerce and the ability to travel. A surge of criminal activity including the actions of foreign gangs and sleeper cells is likely. Do not be surprised if there are interruptions in supply chains of food and fuel. Power grid disruptions and banking and monetary abnormalities are likely. The forces that desire to see the American republic destroyed will likely seize the moment and attempt to create massive disorder. A recent FBI whistle blower (Marcus Allen) testified before congress that in his opinion American citizens should vote, but also should arm themselves against the possibility of out-of-control government agencies. It ought to be chilling that a former FBI operations specialist would give such testimony. Particularly since the upheaval at the nation’s capital in January of 2021, we have witnessed government overreach and have been repeatedly warned about such danger. I hope and pray that God, in His mercy, will preserve us in and through whatever comes, but I believe it is foolish to deny the possibility and even more foolish not to take measures to prepare for imminent danger. Christians need to heed the proverbs and be prudent. That means preparing for possible dangerous days ahead (Proverbs 27:12).
It is difficult to prepare for a dental emergency that you have no idea is imminent. It is quite another thing to cautiously prepare for likely danger. I hope and pray that our nation will repent and turn from rejecting God as the sovereign ruler of the universe, but I also want to urge you to prepare for the potential of troubled times in the near term. Having extra food, medicines, sources for cooking when utilities are interrupted and stored water are essential. Communicating with like-minded neighbors and being prepared to protect yourself and others under necessary circumstances is not extreme, it is simply being wise and prudent. We need to be prayed up and prepared to joyously worship Jesus in the midst of trouble! God, not the federal or state government is our refuge and strength. We must not despair, but we must not be foolish and unnecessarily endanger ourselves and others. Please do what you can to be reasonably prepared for danger. If you make preparations but it turns out you don’t need it, you will be fine. If you need to have prepared but do not…please do not say that you were not warned.
Blessings,
Pastor John
Coram Deo