Swept Away
Will you keep to the old way which wicked men have trod, who were cut down before their time, whose foundations were swept away by a flood? They said to God, ‘Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to them?’ – Job 22:15-17 NKJV.
Near the end of 2011, Cyclone Grant struck Australia, sweeping a large freight train off the tracks, and it also swept a car off a roadway. Passengers in the car tried to escape the waters at first by climbing onto the roof of their car. However, they were swept off of the car roof by the waters, but they were able to grab hold of a tree finding refuge there while waiting for rescue. Two men on the train were also injured, but thankfully all were rescued from the rushing waters. (ABC Online 12.27.11).
What happens when you leave God out of your life? When you leave God out of your life, you will be swept away by the challenges of life. Will 2012 be the year that you personally are swept away? Will you face a personal or a national disaster that will sweep you off of your feet?
There are a great number of bad things that could happen during this year. There is the end of the world thing with the Mayan Calendar with some believing the world come to an end on 12.21.12. My personal prediction is that the world will not end on 12.21.12. Another prediction that many keep making is that there will be a worldwide economic collapse during this year. Then there are the potential military threats like Iran trying to block the Strait of Hormuz. The threat of Iran developing nuclear weapons or taking over Iraq. The possibility of Iran basing missiles in Venezuela. Then we have China continuing to ramp up their military capability, and let us not forget about North Korea another friend of Iran. Still lurking in the shadows and posing a threat to most democracies is terrorism in one form or another.
Even though, the threats on a worldwide and national level are enough to cause concern; what about the possible personal disasters that can come upon us? What if you lose your employment? What if you experience a personal health disaster? We had a couple of health disasters last year with an unplanned trip to the emergency room and a few days in the hospital. My wife’s discovery of a cancerous tumor, surgery, and recovery is ongoing with chemo to start soon. A bad diagnosis can change your world in a hurry. Of course, the financial consequences of those health issues pile more stress on top of everything else.
What is it that we need to survive a disaster in 2012? What is it that we need so that we will not be swept away by the coming events of 2012? God tells us what we need in Hebrews 6:19, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.” We need an “anchor of the soul.” In spite of what could happen, might happen, or will happen in 2012, we need to remember that God is still alive and that He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Jesus is, and will always be the anchor of our soul. Jesus held those early believers together through the tough times and He can do the same for us. Jesus can keep you from being swept away by the challenges of life in 2012. Hold on to the Anchor of your soul.
(What happens when you leave God out of your life? When you leave God out of your life, you will be swept away by the challenges of life.)