Calamity: January 4, 2013

TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY JANUARY 4, 2013.

CALAMITY

DEFINITION:

A great misfortune or cause of distress; disaster.

SCRIPTURE:

For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them. Deuteronomy 32:35.

Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; suddenly he shall become broken without remedy. Proverbs 6:15.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

At some time or the other we all face a calamity in life. Calamities are most often accidents, but we do bring calamities on ourselves. In Proverbs 1:26-27 it reads: “I will laugh at your disaster (calamity); I will mock when calamity overtakes you.” This sounds like a heartless reaction but we have no one to blame but ourselves. Those who foolishly laugh and mock God will one day find that God has the last laugh. 

Solomon tells us in verses 24-25 that the reason why calamities overtake us is because we have rejected God, His wisdom and advice. And Solomon goes on to say: “Then they will call on me and I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.”

Once a calamity is upon us it is too late to call on God and ask Him to change it. However, it is never too late to turn back to God, ask His forgiveness for rejecting Him and to ask for His help to get us through the calamity.

God is not the author or the cause of calamities, but He will let us experience calamities because of our pride and arrogant ways, especially when we turn our backs to God and reject Him. When we put our trust in God and listen to Him, He will lead us away from calamity. He wants to protect us from calamities because of His love for us. Proverbs 1:33 says: “Whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

In real life we have calamities. These are normal events that just happen because of circumstances. After all, we are all human.

The calamities we are concerned about today are with the calamities that result from not having a relationship with God. In the Old Testament there were so many illustrations given to us that involved men and women who God was ready to use but because of their rebelliousness they chose not to listen to God and brought calamity on themselves.

The words of Deuteronomy 32:35 (above) were spoken by Moses to the Israelites shortly before He died and turned his leadership over to Joshua who would lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. After leaving Egypt the first generation of Israelites had been rebellious against God and had suffered devastating calamities.

God, who is all knowing, knew that the second generation of Israelites would also forsake Him when they settled in the Promised Land. God told Moses to warn them that if they did forsake God many disasters and difficulties would come (Deuteronomy 31:17). Israel did forsake God and their “day of calamity came.” Whenever we forsake God we can expect “our day of calamity.”

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 5:8.

But God demonstrates His own love to us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

PRAYER:

Thank You Lord for keeping my eyes and heart focused on You. Keep me from being a spiritual calamity. Bless my family and help us together to be shining lights for You in a world filled with calamities.