This is a severe "weather" warning!!

Let's all be realistic, we are fearful of severe weather. Especially after the events of April 27, 2011 when we saw violent long track tornadoes and epic destruction. At the thought of the possibility of a storm now, our nerves get wound so tightly and we begin to panic over what may or may not happen.

I was a product of elementary school in the 1980's. There were no early dismissals or cancellations due to weather. We had our tornado drills where we lined up in the hallway with our heads tucked between our knees. I recall the ice storm so bad in 1993 that kids were stranded on school busses trying to get home. My how times have changed. 

I have watched as businesses, schools, even churches closed their doors for the threat of a storm. My how times have changed. I read a devotional today written by a friend and it challenged me. Then I read a post by a friend on Facebook and it provoked me. I'll get to that in a moment but let's go to the word first.

In Ezekiel 3: 1-9, we read " Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, when I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take aan of their coastal, and set him for their watchman: if when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; then whosoever hearwth the sound of the trumpet, and take not warning; his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.  But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman into the house of Israel: therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O  wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, the wickedan shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand, nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul."

What struck me about this passage is the watchman. It is the responsibility of the watchman to call out every enemy when it comes into view, to announce every attack, to protect those within the gates from the dangers which are coming. I see it daily of people warning people in the natural realm: there's a wreck here or a disturbance there, people reaching out to check on friends and family when a disaster does occur. But what about the spiritual?

Week in and week out, my pastor stands in the gap interceding and proclaiming these warnings. He has taken up that watchman position and he does it very well. However, just because he may be my watchman does not make him the watchman for my family as they are not within his gates. Each of us, as Apostolic Pentecostal believers, have been given this mantle to be a watchman over our families. Have you sounded the alarm? Have you proclaimed the dangers waiting to attack? We are quick to announce weather warnings and physical dangers but when was the last time you announced the spiritual dangers?