Be Prepared; For The Next Hurricane, To Share The Gospel, For Our Lord’s Return

‘Word-Of-The-Day: ‘The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.’ (Proverbs 22:3); ‘<Jesus says,> “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”’ (Revelation 16:15)

It is that season again. No, not spring as we really don’t have that here in southwest Florida (we have hot summer, warm summer, and a week or two of fall with maybe a day or two of almost-winter each year). Football season is over, and while baseball season is coming up, unfortunately hurricane season is also coming, officially on 1 June. It seems like New Year’s Day was just last week, and the Inauguration of our old/new President was yesterday, but both have been several weeks ago.

We have had more than our share of hurricanes since Erma came in 2017. We’ve experienced Ian in 2022, and a double whammy with Francine and Milton last year. Previously, we could count on a major hurricane coming our way an average of once every twelve years, as Charlie did in 2004. Now, we need to be ready every year. Preparedness was often something of an afterthought. Generators weren’t seen as a necessity as they are now, when we moved into the region in 1988. We had bought one in the mid-90’s, and when I mentioned it to some of my workmates, they asked ‘why?’.

That first generator became an afterthought to me as well. It sat in the corner of the garage. ignored. I was in Qatar for Charlie (my wife and kids got to experience Charlie on their own); when Erma came by in 2017 I pulled that generator out and due to a couple of decades of idleness, it just wouldn’t start. Though we did not suffer any damage from Erma (and thankfully none of the subsequent hurricanes that followed), we had no power for several days and had to watch the food in our refrigerator and freezer go to waste.

Also, without power meant no running water, as we have a well, and need well pumps to get water into our house. No power, no water. Fortunately, we had just enough water on hand to drink before the power came back on, and the stores reopened. After Irma, we became ‘preppers’; it is better to be prepared and not need to use the preparations, than not have preparations and realize you really need them.

Now, we have a generator that I test once each month, to ensure it runs when we need it. We have extra cases of water (and thanks to Milton, some state-provided ‘Emergency Drinking Water’, too), extra food, and – after COVID panics emptied the shelves – toilet paper. Got to have the toilet paper, since there’s no more Sears catalogues or phone books to be had…

Each hurricane brings an after-action ‘lessons-learned’; what did we miss, what could we do better? We try to improve upon our situation so the next time (unfortunately there will be a next time) it’s a little bit better for us and the guests we bring in to ride out the storm. I realize this means money, and I know for some the money to continually improve may not be there.

However, with a little bit of planning ahead, the essentials – food, water, flashlights, and perhaps extra toilet paper – can be stocked up between now and 1 June. A case of water and an extra can of food each shopping trip made before 1 June may have you with enough water on hand for a week or so to sustain you and your family if and when the next disaster strikes. It may not always be a hurricane, either.

I have done several ‘BE PREPARED, BE AWARE, PLAN ACCORDINGLY’ Word-Of-The-Day write-ups, and yes, this is another one.  I pray that everyone who reads this has taken at least some precautions and are ready for at least a week of discomfort, though the week may eventually turn into a month, or a year, or a decade.  (We are not prepared for a decade of continuous disasters, either.  A month or two, perhaps.)  There are threats about our electrical grid shutting down, and our supply chain (trucks, trains and planes delivering food and goods), if interrupted for one week, could spell disaster for most Americans accustomed to stocked shelves in the store. 

There is the physical aspect of preparedness; a reasonable stockage of food, water, gas and other necessities to have on hand for the interruptions of normal life, or the identification of where to stay or where to go in case of hurricanes or tornadoes.   These are prudent steps, as Solomon has written in Proverbs 22:3; and the question is, what happens when you’re not prepared?  It may not be disastrous, but it could be very inconvenient. 

If you need food or water the day after a hurricane hits, you may have to drive 30, 50 or 100 miles (or more, if the roads are passable) before you get to stores that are not closed and have stock on hand – and hopefully you have the gas in your car to get there and back.  The penalty is of course the extra time, effort and cost for not preparing.  Physical preparations that are planned are better for such events, with a plan of action ready, than to ‘wing’ it on the fly and be caught with your pants down – as you may have no pants to put on.

This leads to the Spiritual aspect of preparedness; be ready for Jesus at all times.  We all have those moments when we are not at the top of our Christian A-game, but we should always be at the ready to do the Lord’s work and His bidding.  In Revelation 16:15, Jesus says as much – you never know when He’ll be coming or when He’ll be calling us.  This is not a physical description but a Spiritual description; don’t be a ‘6½-day heathenist’, and only live for Jesus Sunday morning, but a 7-day Christian who is at least ready to discuss Jesus, even when your day is not going well, or when bad news hits.  We prepare Spiritually by fellowshipping, prayer, and reading Scriptures as well as using our Gifts to share the Gospel.

We as Christians should always be ready to share the Word with others who cross our path. Prepare to provide your testimony of Faith, or why the love of Christ provides them relief from their burdens. It is not always necessary to remember the chapter and verse number of specific Scriptures, but it is good to remember what Scriptures say so you can use it to the benefit of those who need to hear it.

They may not understand what ‘Romans 3:23‘ means, but they can grasp its message, ‘everyone sins, and falls short of Jesus’ glory‘. Be ready to give an answer to someone as you would a child; a person who has not heard the Word before is as a child. They aren’t going to know theological doctrine, but they can understand their need of a Savior.

Spiritual preparedness also allows better preparation physically; why would you not have something extra if your neighbor is in need, and why would you not share your excess if you know your neighbor’s need?  It is both a blessing to give to our neighbors and to help them when they needed, and it is a blessing when they give us their excess out of love and concern.  The blessing of preparedness is not just for your sake, but it can also be a blessing to your neighbors and friends as well.