Do you have a plan?

Have you ever wondered why certain things happen at certain times? Yeah, me too.

Like for instance, this morning we were lounging around the living room after opening our Christmas gifts. One was admiring a new electronic gadget while another busied with some clothing. Then, the most obnoxious loud piercing beeping noise began to assault our hearing and we all looked at each other with looks of fright. SMOKE ALARM!!

Have you ever kicked an ant hill and watched the ants scurry around in crazy patterns? Me neither, but I have heard it is a fascinating display.... Well, that's what we probably looked like as we all busted toward the beeping and down the steps to the basement. The acrid smoke that met our noses led us to the problem. Our electric heater in the storage room was churning and burning in ways it isn't supposed to do.

One of us tried to turn off the switch to no avail, another ran to find the circuit breakers, while another ran frantically around looking for a fire extinguisher. All the while, the smoke kept rolling and the popping sound grew louder. As I tried to read the hierogliphics on the breaker box, I thought I found the correct breaker and snapped it off. In the blink of an eye, the breaker just below that one broke and the heater in the next room ceased its chaos. (Thank God for breakers that operate as engineered!)

As I sit here writing, the windows and doors are open, candles are burning and a few fans are whisking the foul odors out of the house.

Now, we are looking in the rearview mirror of what has been one of the more memorable Christmas mornings. Why did the heater switch short out and burn up at the time it did? Why didn't it do it last night when we were all at church or perhaps later today when we would have gone out to visit family? What would have been the result had the shorted switch failed at 3:56 AM this morning? How would we have responded? Would we have been able to respond? All these questions have no set answers. Nobody knows why things happened as they did. We all agreed the timing this morning was the best case scenario (If there is a good time for events like this to occur).

In our family, we understand events like this occur. Having safeguards in place and having some sort of plan in place is the best approach to crisis.

The smoke alarm, with battery, operated as advertised. The breaker sensed the dead short and popped as designed. Our family didn't hesitate to address the crisis with fairly clear headed plans. We all took responsibility to do something positive.

"...for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are

saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant

woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers (and sisters), are not in darkness so that this day

should surprise you like a thief." (1 Thessalonians 5:2-4, NIV)

Do you have a plan for the Lord's return? Unlike our fortuitous smoking electric heater that broke when we were here and awake, Jesus will not wait for the appropriate time to arrive. He may come when you are away from home or perhaps when you're sleeping at 3:56 AM. Have a plan, work your plan, and evaluate your plan regularly. Today, is the day to choose to receive the new born King Jesus.

Peace,