Are You Ready?

Unless you're completely out of touch with current events, you know that we'll be experiencing the Great American Solar Eclipse today. It will cover a long path across several states and we happen to live right on the line of totality. A little before 2:00 pm, our area is expected to experience over four minutes of total darkness. People have traveled many miles to be able to see this once in a lifetime event. Kristine’s Cottage has been booked for months and family and friends drove in from Mississippi to be here with us. Solar eclipse glasses are available for purchase in almost every store. Festivals have been planned and t-shirts are being sold that proudly feature the name of the area you watched the eclipse from. NASA will be broadcasting from nearby Russellville and a mass wedding has been planned there for hundreds of couples wanting to say their vows on this memorable day.

We've been told about this event for a long while now and for the last several months our state has tried to do everything possible to prepare us for what might occur. Cities have mailed out Eclipse Preparedness Plans telling residents to be sure they're stocked up on necessities and to buy fuel early as pumps may be empty when all of the visitors leave town. All First Responders are on duty and the Arkansas Department of Transportation released a projected traffic map so those that have to travel could plan alternate routes. No one really knew exactly what to expect. They could only go by experiences that other states have had during previous eclipses. I guess it’s always better to be over prepared than under prepared.

I’ll admit, I was one of the ones early on saying, “What’s the big deal? It gets dark every night.” But as the day drew closer, I made sure to fill my gas tank, purchased solar glasses, and ordered a t-shirt to commemorate the day. I’m as prepared as I’m going to get.

Last week, we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that not only did He die for our sins, but He rose from the dead and ascended to heaven. It also tells us that one day, He will come back through the clouds to get His children. As we all go outside today and look towards the sky for something that will only last minutes, I would have to ask… are you prepared for something that lasts for eternity?

And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” -Acts 10:1-11

So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. -Hebrews 9:28

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. -Revelation 1:7

Update: Not as many people flooded the area as they had anticipated, but it was absolutely beautiful to experience. It’s definitely something that only our Creator could have orchestrated.