Pretend, Panic or Prepare?

     I’m going to get a little serious today.  While we must concentrate on doing things that will keep our families safe, secure and supplied with a bounty of food, there are times we need to stick our head up out of the foxhole and see what is going on in the world, and how it may affect us.  

      

Iran has been making noises about its plans to practice military War Games to assess its ability to close the Strait of Hormuz.  Why is this important to us?  Well, the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important chokepoints, which accounts for about 30% of the world’s shipment of oil. 

     If that’s not enough, consider this statement by Parviz Sorouri, the head of Iran’s Parliamentary National Security Committee:

“Currently, the Middle East region supplies 70 % of the world’s energy needs, (most of) which are transported through the Strait of Hormuz.  We will hold an exercise to close the Strait of Hormuz in the near future.  If the world wants to make the region insecure, we will make the world insecure.”

     OK, so now do I have your attention?  It’s pretty obvious that the rhetoric is heating up, and there have been contradictory reports that these military activities have actually begun.  By the time my little expository is actually posted on Wednesday morning, it may be a foregone conclusion.  Whether it actually happens or not, the price of oil shot up at the threat of such an action.  So how are we to respond?  

     If the world is determined to descend into chaos, how will you react?  The way I see it, we have three options:  we either pretend we live in fantasyland, we panic, or we prepare.  And which benefits our family and friends more?

     Inasmuch as we cannot understand the motives, right or wrong, of the world’s powerful leaders – let alone influence those decisions that affect us – we can only control how we will behave in response to their course of action. 

     I think it’s natural to go through these three stages.  First we try to Pretend that everything is OK; nations have always threatened each other, and then pulled back from the brink of destruction.  This, too, shall pass.  Then we progress to the state of Panic.  We realize, this is serious!  If all the crazy things the conspiracy nuts are shouting really do come true, how are we to survive?  This is all too much!  Then, hopefully, we move right into a resolved state of Preparation.  If everything comes crashing down around us, then my only responsibility is to take care of my family, so what do I need to do?  I’ll just take it step by step.     

     For some reason, I have been given a clear vision of what is transpiring, and I choose to face it head on.  I can’t lie; there was a momentary panic when I pulled aside the veil and saw what was hiding behind it.  But that was quickly replaced with the simple conclusion that this is going to be a fight between Good and Evil, and I know with whom my allegiance lies. 

     And I am not ashamed to admit that my faith in God gives me the courage to fight this battle.  I have read the Book, and I know who wins.  But in the meantime, we have some preparation to do.  So my advice to you is to start paying attention to what’s going on.  My prayer for you is that you will not get stuck in the first two stages. Persevere and move forward.  Your ability to prepare will be the difference between calamity and calm for your family, friends and neighbors. 

Psalm 23: 5     “You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”