In the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina has come and gone, but her effects will linger for years to come. The devastation and death toll are stunning. Imagine how many more might have died had they not heeded the evacuation orders and fled the coast. Of course, many did refuse to leave and chose instead to ride out the storm. Some did so because they had no other choice. Hampered by illness or circumstance they simply could not leave. Others chose to remain in harm’s way to protect the lives of others. Then there were those that risked their lives to party during the storm. Every time a hurricane comes some people decide they would rather die drunk than use their lives in a productive way.
No doubt some did not take the threat of the storm seriously. There were those who scoffed in the days of Noah prior to the Great Flood, as there were in Sodom prior to its destruction by fire. Even today there are many who ridicule the idea of a final judgment with accompanying eternal consequences. Peter wrote that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."…But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (2Pe. 3:3-4, 10)
Fortunately many people did see Katrina coming, and took action to preserve their lives. But many of these same people, who saw so clearly the danger posed by a great storm, fail to see the imminent danger of God’s judgment on those who do not serve Him. Disasters have a way of making us look inward and reflect on what is truly important. The devastation left by Katrina ought to remind us of the brevity of life, the impermanence of physical possessions, and of the importance of being prepared to one day meet the Lord. –Joel Ellis