Bruce Collins, Evangelist

The personal website of Bruce Collins

How Quickly Things Change

Proverbs 27:1 NKJV — Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.

Recent Unplanned Events
On May 28, I jumbled off of a platform that I shouldn’t have. I should have sat down and then lowered myself off of the platform or else I should have gotten someone to provide me some steps. But that mistake in judgment has changed my life for the last ten weeks and it will continue to affect me for the foreseeable future. I had to have an operation to repair the torn quadriceps in the knee. I am now at a point where I can walk without a brace and, once the knee loosens up a little more, I should be able to drive. I did not expect to lose this summer by sitting in my study/bedroom and learning how to use electronics to preach and to stay in touch with people. Thankfully, it hasn’t been all bad. While others are arguing about the need to self-isolate, that decision was made for me and I have not been tempted to attend functions where I might get exposed to the current pandemic. The Bible says in Proverbs 22:3 and again in Proverbs 27:12, “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.” The prudent man is a wise man and a simple man is obviously one who is not. One version says that simple is a simpleton. That would likely be me. So I have learned a few things and have had some unique preaching opportunities while being forced to self-isolate.

Recently, I got up and listened to the news and checked the weather. I can do that on my “smart” phone. I understood that we might get some thunderstorms and we were under a watch. I think that is when the prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself. While watching the weather later in the morning it became apparent that the watch was now a warning and that a major wind event was taking place. I was glad when my wife got home from running errands about noon. We waited for the storm to hit. It never did. We got some rain, less than an inch, and some wind but nothing out of the ordinary. But then we heard about the damage that was being done just south of us. Corn has been destroyed and property and trees have been destroyed. We experienced a hurricane in parts of Iowa and what started out as a rather normal day with rather normal storm warnings for this time of year turned out to be a life changing experience for a big part of Iowa. I am sure that people now are wondering what to do and how to fix the damage that about four hours of a major storm caused for them.

The Mercy of God
As far as I know there has been no loss of life so far because of the storm. But there could have been. If the storm had hit our manufactured home community with 100 mile an hour winds, I have no doubt that there would have been loss of homes and loss of life. But we were spared. Surely events like this should make us all realize that God has spoken; but, in his mercy, He has given us all a chance to to reassess our relationship with Him. Are we ready to meet HIm? If we are saved, do we act like it? Are we self-centered or are we willing to sacrifice ourselves for others. Sacrificing for others is what the Lord did.

If we have never taken God seriously when he says “you must be born again,” I would suggest that this storm should remind us all that we might not have tomorrow to get right with God. If we are saved but living for self, maybe we need to read 1 Corinthians 13 again and note the 15 characteristics of love or charity. Then we need to ask the Lord to help us to reflect those characteristics in our lives.

Another Chance
I have been forced to learn patience as a result of an accident and, of course, there really are no accidents. But God in HIs wisdom decided that I needed a little time to self-isolate and to learn how to do my work in a much different way. It may even lead to preaching in India in November.

I believe God has spoken to us all in this storm; and in His mercy, He is giving us all another chance to be real in our relationship with Him. After all, He has reminded us that we are going to meet HIm and our meeting may be in a most unexpected way on a most unexpected day.

Bruce Collins

Meditation for the week of August 9, 2020

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