Category 5 Hurricanes seem to be ruthless and unforgiving. But hurricanes don’t really have a personality or emotions. There is nothing personal. We can, however, glimpse a tiny bit of the power of God reflected in this natural disaster’s fury.
A Perfect World
God is holy and perfect. He is beauty and perfection. God created the earth and the heavens including everything in them including animals, plants, stars, planets, oceans, rivers, forests, mountains, and birds in just six days! His favorite creative work was the man and the woman, made in His image. God was so pleased with His creation, especially Adam and Eve, the first man and the first woman. He walked with them in the cool of the day while they lived in the Garden of Eden. They had a perfect relationship with the Lord who created them.
The End of Perfection
Unfortunately perfection did not last. Sin entered the world and destroyed perfection. Satan tempted Eve to disobey God. The Lord had told them to eat freely from every tree in the Garden, except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve believed his lie and ate from the tree; then gave Adam some fruit, too. The punishment: death. Death was not immediate. Adam and Eve lived over 900 years, but their bodies began to decay and eventually wear out. They also became slaves to satan and sin. Mankind, created to live forever, would now die and after death face judgment. Sin had entered the world and all of the men and women who ever lived, because of their sin, would have to face eternal punishment in hell. But, God had a plan to evacuate His people.
You see, the Lord hates sin. It’s hard for us to understand that because our world is so mixed up. Some people try to make really bad things seem acceptable and even, good. Sometimes people who follow Jesus can be mocked and their attempts to be obedient to the Bible scorned. However, sin is evil and completely unacceptable to God. There will come a day when He punishes all sin and the wrath of God will make a Category 5 Hurricane seem like a merry-go-round.
We deserve wrath because like everyone else on the earth, we have sinned. However, God loves us so much that He made a way for us to escape His punishment and judgment through the Cross.
An Evacuation Plan
You see, the Lord declared us guilty, but He also made a plan to pay the price to rescue us from sin and our slavery to satan. He decided to become a man and give His life as a ransom for many to rescue us from sin.
How Did Jesus Accomplish This?
God the Son became a tiny helpless baby, born to a virgin named Mary. He grew up like any other child on earth, tempted in every way we are, yet without sin. He honored His parents (Mary and His adopted father Joseph), He worked hard as a carpenter, helping Joseph, He learned Scripture, and He lived a life of integrity.
At the age of 30, Jesus began His ministry, called an assortment of men and women to travel with Him for three years traveling throughout Israel. He preached the Good News of the Kingdom of God, urged people to repent and follow the Lord, healed the sick, drove out demons, performed all kinds of miracles, and trained His disciples to turn the world upside-down. Eventually, he was arrested, tried, and executed based on lies and false accusations. He gave up His life for you and me.
When Jesus was on the cross, all the anger and wrath of God was poured out on Him. He took the punishment we deserve. Jesus was buried and on the third day, He rose again!!!!!!!! He conquered death and conquered sin! He paid the ransom so we could be rescued from satan, sin, and hell.
What Does This Mean for You & Me?
When we commit our lives to Him and ask Him to live in us, we are covered by His mercy and His blood washes our sins away. God rescues us from the kingdom of darkness and brings us into the Kingdom of Light, His eternal kingdom that lasts forever.
We become citizens of Heaven. Our sins are washed away! We are filled with His Spirit! We are new creations, made in the likeness of Jesus! We get to live forever with Him!
We are evacuated from the wrath of the storm of God’s judgment.
Are you facing a storm worse than a hurricane? Are you outside of God’s Kingdom facing the storm of God’s judgment? Don’t stay and ride out the storm. Let the Lord evacuate you into a safe place. Find shelter in His grace. Commit your life to Jesus!
