Proverbs 6:15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
Three of us were packed into a tiny MAF (missionary air fellowship) plane flying low over the thousands of square miles of virgin rain forest in Central America. In a region that specialises in remoteness, this was on the edge of even that.
A beautiful man named Wesley was taking time to fly us into a remote village so we could have some clinics with an optician from Florida called Ron, as well of course as hold church services and encourage the local pastors.
There was nothing to be seen in any direction but mountains and rain forest. No wisps of smoke hinted at any dwellings here. On we went until gradually in the far distance we could see the telltale tiny clearing of a village.
As we drew nearer I could see that there were some fields on the edge of the village, and the villager’s horses and cattle were grazing there.
Wesley took the plane down low to “buzz” the field so that the animals would scatter and the plane could land the next time around.
So we set our approach and came into land as villagers chased the more stubborn animals of the improvised runway.
We bumped down and careered along the grass, and a large splat of mud hit the front windows at one point and the little wipers took thirty seconds before we could see anything again.
Then we were stopped, turned already for taking off. As we stepped out and greeted the waiting people from the village. Wesley set off to find a local lady who needed a major operation, it was a life or death situation. He would fly her back to a hospital within the hour, while we were set for a few weeks on the ground, walking from village to village.
A few months or so previously a small aircraft carrying missionaries had crashed on landing at a similar village with several deaths and others seriously injured.
One of the things about being out in remote places was that when something goes wrong, you quickly realise just how far away from human help is.
KNOWLEDGE
It’s the suddenness that is emphasised more than the calamity I think. Yes, the brokenness is serious and full-on, but we get a double shot of “suddenly” and “in a moment”. The first word “suddenly” carries the idea of unexpectedness – this person never sees it coming, oblivious of what awaits them as an outcome of their chosen life. The second impression of “in a moment” emphasises the idea that this all happens in an instant.
Now, this can well be something that happens here on earth, and to an extent, if the calamity and breaking cause this person to perhaps ask deeper questions of life and maybe even turn towards God, then all is not lost.
However, the danger is that these are the final moments when the revelation of who they are and the choices they have made to reject God becomes irrevocable and carries massive and eternal consequences.
Oh God that my prayer life would take on a new urgency for the lost and broken world of people who do think that are on the right path! They are following their own moral compass, making their own judgements of what is good and what is evil, with no regard for you or your ways.
I have sometimes been in situations with others where we would “pool our ignorance” to try and solve a problem that none of us was equipped to solve. It rarely ends well.
Let’s all pray for those people we know who are blind to the living God?
UNDERSTANDING
Let’s pick one word from this verse to look closer at and see if that can help us gain a deeper insight into how God would love us to live?
The word for “moment” in Hebrew is pronounced as “peta’ ” and appears seven times in the Old Testament. This word has been translated in the ESV into the English words, very suddenly; suddenly; in a moment; and, in an instant.
In this verse [15] any of these English words would help us understand the intent of the original writer. Wouldn’t you love to be able to sit and chat with the writer of Proverbs though?
WISDOM – Who has God positioned into my life that I can pray for and that I can practically help?
STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Developer, patiently and consistently helps others reach their potential. Celebrating the smallest of wins wholeheartedly with them.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version – [disaster and destruction will be brought unexpectedly, in an instant, yes in an instant he will be fractured and injured with no remedy.]
PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Help me to continue to pray for those people I know who have hardened their hearts against God, that they may once again receive grace, favour, and forgiveness, from your generous and gracious hands.
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