Got Insurance?

This week life has been interrupted quite a bit by the rains that have fallen resulting in considerable flooding. The photo above was taken today on Brainerd road a few blocks down from my insurance office (for those of you who may not know, my vocation is a pastor and my occupation is an insurance agent). Fortunately, our insurance office is on a hill and though the flood waters will continue to rise until eight this evening it is not likely to reach us.

We have had plenty of flood related claims called into the office this week. Several cars were flooded and many more homes received some flood damage. We have been able to help those who purchased flood coverage. Those who had losses who did not purchase coverage wish they did. Hindsight is 20/20.

I often tell folks that “you have to buy insurance when you don’t need it, because when you need it you can’t buy it.” Or to put it another way, “no one will sell you a fire policy when your house is on fire” or “flood insurance when your basement is full of water.”

Many in Chattanooga learned a tough lesson this week on being prepared for natural disasters.

There is another cataclysmic event on the horizon for which everyone needs to be prepared. It will not be a local event it will be a global event. The consequences of this event are even more severe in that they are eternal and final.

What event? The return of Jesus Christ can happen at any moment. He will crush Satan and the forces of evil and usher in the eternal state. Those who are clothed in the righteousness of Christ will be admitted to His kingdom and those who are not will be banished in eternal judgment forever. Jesus illustrated this event in several parables. For example, the ten virgins in Matthew 25:

" “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (Matthew 25:1-13, NKJV)

The point of this story is that only those who were prepared received blessings. In the mundane insurance world which occupies much of my time only the people who were properly insured received benefits. Those who were not prepared were denied benefits. Likewise there will be two groups of people at Christ’s return, those who are prepared and those who are not prepared. In which group do you belong?

If you have doubts you can read the good news of how to be prepared to meet the Lord by following this link. If you have no doubts about your preparation do you know of someone who may? I encourage you to encourage them.