Thought for September 13, 2024

• 122: Construction of Hadrian's Wall begins 
• 335: Church of the Holy Sepulchre consecrated in Jerusalem
• 1501: Michelangelo begins work on "David"
• 1845: Michael Faraday discovers the influence of a magnetic field on polarized light--Faraday Effect
• 1949: LPGA formed in NYC
• 1955: George de Mestral granted a patent for what would become known as Velcro
• 1969: "Scooby Doo" debuts
• 1985: First appearance of "Super Mario Bros." game
• 1997: Elton John releases "Candle in the Wind"
• Born: Daniel Defoe, Milton Hershey, John Pershing, Roald Dahl, Claudette Colbert, 
• Died: Titus, Ambrose Burnside, Tupac Shakur, George Wallace, 

Thought:

How do people in general and how do I personally face a crisis. Reading the first chapter of Joel this morning. There has been a plague of locusts. there is devastation. And the locusts are representative of a coming army and THE DAY OF THE LORD. Look at how Joel discribes what has happened.

• Nothing has happened like this before. [1:2]. No one then living can recall this kind of plague and devastation. It is what we might call a once in a generation event or a 100 year flood like Nashville experienced 15 years ago. It was an event we don't want to forget and certainly don't want to repeat. In my lifetime there have been several of this seemingly once in a lifetime events--Kennedy is shot, the Challenger explodes, 9/11, the Nashville flood, Reagan is shot, Covenant School, Columbine, Uvalde, the Nashville Christmas bomb. When these events happen, how do we react? Do we see this as a tragedy, a warning, an opportunity. Throughout the Bible, we find people who react with optimism--this will pass and we can make it. Maybe we can learn and grow from this. Some react with pessimism---its just getting worse, we are hopeless and helpless. We will never get over this. Others react with alarm--enemies are everywhere. Let's give up rights so we can be secure. We need to close down everything. We need to respond with force now. And others simply scoff--this is a false threat, the news is fixed, don't believe the reports. God will never let that happen here. 
• The devastation was unbelievable. Vine, figs, grain are gone. [1:7-12]  The food is all gone. [1:16-17] The animals suffer and the rivers dry up. [1:18-20] And all joy and gladness have gone with it. [1:16]
• What do we do?
• Call a fast. [1:14] Among all the Jewish feasts, the only feast that required a fast was the Day of Atonement. Sins confessed, seeking forgiveness. Just focus on the Lord.
• Call an assembly. [1:14] Everyone come together in God's house to seek His face in prayer. 
• Cry to the Lord. [1:14] Note the order--fast and forget all earthly concerns, join with other believers and pray in unity, cry out to the only One who can help. This is a proclamation that only He can deal with the plague, only He can defeat the enemy, only He can heal and restore. 

What can I learn for this first chapter--the Day of the Lord is coming. Wake up, pray up, cry out. He alone can preserve and protect and provide. Maybe I should deal with the issues in my life  this same way. And maybe I need to be diligent to warn others that the Day of the Lord is coming.

Blessings

Larry