Danger

2 Chronicles 19:10b – You are to warn them not to sin against the Lord; otherwise his wrath will come on you and your brothers. (NIV)

I've been fortunate in that my travels have allowed me to visit a number of places of natural beauty in this great land. But on a recent visit to Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada, I was alarmed by the number of visitors who either don't read signs, or are lulled, by the beauty and the relative calm of the blue-green ocean, into thinking that the warning doesn't apply to them. Although "Danger — Keep Off The Wet Rocks" or other such signs were prominently displayed all around the parking lot, the day that I was there, the signs were being ignored by many wanting to get closer, to observe the waves breaking over the rocks.

Unfortunately these folks have no real respect for the power of the sea. The next scene caused my heart to jump in horror, as I watched a brutal wave course towards the shore, and break over the giant rocks. Its driving force swept a young man, who had been standing on a solid rock at what I am sure seemed to him to be several feet from danger, completely off his feet. Before he could gain his balance, another wave pounded to shore, and I, standing in safety high above this scene, stood helpless, as I watched younger, more agile people scramble down over the rocks to offer their help. Fortunately, with only a scare and a soaking, the young tourist was able to grab onto a jagged crack, and hold on until the wave slipped back into the sea. The young man now knew first-hand the power of the ocean, and the reason for the signs. This time he didn't hesitate; he scrambled for safety.

This event started me thinking about how God has given us verses in Scripture that warn of the dangers of being lulled into thinking He will tolerate sin. We need to heed His warnings, and aim to keep our lives free from wrongdoing.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for caring for us. Thank You for Your words of warning, and Your plan of salvation, offering us Your pardon for our sin. Amen.