There are so many words that we have used in recent months to describe our experiences on account of Hurricane Irma. Her name itself is detestable. There are words like: ferocious winds; impact, aftermath; passage; havoc; onslaught; devastation; compromise; losses; water damage; wind gusts – and the list goes on. There are so many terrible, unfavorable, daring terms that still remind us how wretched a storm it was that visited of beautiful island on September the 6th, and disrupted our way of life last year. Yes, it was last year. And though some of us are still in misery as a result of what Madam Irma left behind, it is obvious that many of us have reverted to a rather complacent mode of life once again.
However, though I do not wish to be labeled as a prophet of doom, I am moved at this time to stir up the minds of those who would be willing to take heed, and encourage us not to let down our guard. We must never be so much at ease, just because things are improving around us. We must realize that we are living in a time when our sovereign God still needs to get our attention. He wants to draw us close to Him for our eternal security, and if we be only willing to heed His calls, it would serve us for good. Though we must thrive on hope, we cannot afford to get lost in the hype and excitement that ensues when we are heading towards “better times”.
Thankfully, the restoration of electricity has caused us to put our days and nights of misery behind us. We don’t need to light candles or use lanterns any more. There is no need to limit the use of our running water while brushing our teeth and washing our faces. We can now be carefree and bath at leisure with generous amounts of soap and water, taking warm, soothing showers to boot. There is no need to be that careful or conservative now any more – for what? But let us remember that last year around this time the weather was just as nice and balmy as it is now. There was not even an inkling of fear for the coming of a far-off September storm. We were doing well until August rolled around, when many of us were expecting to pack away our work gear at the end of that month, and resort to go for a vacation or just relax until November would break to call us back out to work again. But, oh what a rude awakening that notorious September morn.’
Well, we better not be too complacent. We can’t forget the fear of the pending storm that was roaring down across the Atlantic on September 3rd, 4th, and 5th. We were glued to our televisions and smart phones checking the forecasted developments; our brows were raised high and our hearts thumped within our chests when we realized that we were directly in the path of Irma’s pending fury. We were to be struck by God’s mighty, but merciful hand. The expectation of those blows and cruel lashes caused us to stop in our tracks and “bar-up” and “batton-down” and wait. Only time would have told whether or not we were well prepared, for indeed would God spoke. And spoke He did. Well, should He speak again?
As our old forebears would say, some of us are rather “hard of hearing”. It’s like God’s rebuke and warnings last year was just a lil slap on the wrist. Let’s take a look at our youngsters in particular: many of them have not been moved or swayed. They have gone straight back in their mode of normalcy. They pump up blaring vibes on their boom-boxes which convey illicit sexual connotations and sounds of profanity. They cause crude and repulsive expletives to permeate God’s air. Have you noticed? They continue to live it up. Their lifestyles are accented by partying with forbidden drunken orgies, as if nothing really happened last September. Yes, they have become complacent. But September’s gonna come again. Are were ready? I pray that we be spared, but God needs calls us to listen as He calls.
Then, obviously, even after the passage of Irma some folks seem to have grown selfish and self-centered. We live as if we don’t care about others; it’s like we are preparing to get all we can to have ourselves ready in the event of another disaster. Believe it or not, that is the mentality of some of our human kind. But that is far from the way God wants us to be. While we must be prepared, and while it is wise to store reserves for unfavorable times, we must not be so greedy and discriminating of those who may require our acts kindness.
We must try to learn from history. A lesson is best taught through repetition, and indeed history does repeat itself. In a casual conversation recently, an acquaintance of mine alluded to the people of Israel, who, after God had warned them so often, they still chose to live rebellious, defiant lifestyles. They too were callous and complacent. Alas, God became so fed-up with their conduct that he forbade his prophet, Jeremiah, to call upon him in prayers on their behalfs any more, for He would not hear his supplications, according to Jeremiah 7:16. God was resolved to literally destroy the Israelites. Folks, we cannot afford to let that be our lot. We cannot be so complacent. Why run the risk? Let us heed the warnings of God, and reflect upon His mercies, for while in many other islands there were much more devastation and death, we were spared, for the most part.
So, while there may be many “bad-words” by which we can refer to that old dreaded, confounded storm, Irma, let us not be guilty of identifying with the characteristics of that word “complacent”. Let it not be our trait as a people who have risen above the chaos and misery of such a horrific disaster. May we take time out to consider our ways, and seek the face of a loving, merciful God while time is still on our side.
