In my early days as a preacher, my young friends and I had several ways to describe our sins on judgment. “Turn or burn!” was one title. Another friend titled his message with the acronym, “S.C.O.R.E.” which stood for “Select Christ or roast eternally.” We were teenaged pastors!
Is there anything worse than a sunburn? I remember one spring in Montana the temperature made it all the way up to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. I knew I needed some sun after a long winter, and I fell asleep. I was shocked at how badly I burned on a 60 degree day. Too late I learned that lying in the sun was a really bad idea. It was a painful experience!
As John envisions the bowls of God’s wrath poured out on the earth, we see blisters, blood, darkness, drought and an earthquake. The drought plague is a terrible sunburn that causes people to curse the name of God. The most telling line is “They did not repent and give him glory.” Given the chance to turn to God, these who are lost choose to reject God.
We may respond in one of two ways to God’s discipline in our lives as believers. Either we learn and turn back to God as we leave our sin behind, or we distance ourselves from God. Christ’s death on the cross calls us to run to God when he disciplines us. Those who repent find that God is ready to welcome us home. Those who refuse discover the darkness of disobedience leads them father away from God. We can fall upon God’s mercy or try to live without him today. Which will we choose? The Savior is waiting for us to return to him. He does not want us to burn, so let us turn! Now is a good time.
