Don't let the storm catch you
7 Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
Galatians 6:7Bible Reading
Proverbs 1:24-27
24 Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand, 25 because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction, 26 in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you, 27 when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
Imagine a meteorologist warning of a hurricane. "It's coming," he says. "Board up your windows. Evacuate." But you look outside and the sun is shining, so you go to the beach. You ignore the warning. When the storm hits, whose fault is the damage? Solomon paints a sobering picture in these verses. He speaks of calamity coming like a whirlwind. He speaks of distress and anguish. But notice the cause: "Because you refused my call." The storm was not a surprise. The warning had been issued. In your academic life, the warnings are there. The syllabus is a warning. The midterm grade is a warning. The tired feeling in your eyes is a warning. Do not be the student who waits for the storm to hit. Wisdom is calling now. She is saying, "Start the paper." "Go to sleep." "Put the phone away." If you listen now, the storm becomes a rainy day. If you refuse, it becomes a disaster. Choose the shelter of obedience.
Action Point
Identify the biggest "looming storm" in your semester (a big project, a hard final). Do one concrete thing today to prepare for it. Just one thing. Board up one window.
Prayer Point
Lord, I hear Your warning. I will not be foolish. I will prepare. Give me the foresight to see the storm and the discipline to get ready. Amen.
Reflection Point
Am I living in denial about a difficult class? What is the first step to facing reality?