Well, January was certainly an interesting month. We went from deepf re e zer temperatures to suddenly unseasonably mild temperatures. I like the cold. I am not like most around here where 25-32 degrees is cold. I was born in South Dakota and lived there for seven years. I played in the cold and snow. I jumped off a roof into a snow drift (then got caught and was in big trouble). I knew how to layer clothing for the cold.

But even with that background, single digit temperatures for a few days go a long way with me. After the first week of bitter cold, I was ready for this winter weather to move on out.

And if the cold is not bad enough, let’s add some sleet, freezing rain and maybe a little ice to the mixture. Oh, and since there is freezing precip, let’s not have school either. This will make the kids happy and drive the parents crazy!

Our low temperatures this last week of January have been warmer than most of the day high temps for the first two weeks of January! It looks like February will be seasonably mild for the month. I don’t even know what that means. Don’t buy the lie of warmer weather and pack the winter duds and unpack the spring ones.

So with all this past weather, current temperatures and future outlook, it makes me ask the question, “What am I supposed to wear?” “How am I supposed to dress?” Should I dress for winter morning and spring afternoon? Maybe Spring morning and early summer afternoon. Long sleeve, short sleeve, t-shirt? Should I wear boots, tennis shoes or flip-flops? Sweat pants, jeans or maybe shorts? Who knows?

You know what? We have to remember this is OKLAHOMA! Our weather does this every year. In two weeks we will start seeing jonquils popping from the earth along with some clover and dandelions. We may even have a tree or two that starts to bud. But this is all a ruse. We know that another round of winter weather will hit and probably some snow with it. This has been Oklahoma’s weather pattern for years and will more than likely continue.

I even remember late spring freezes in the middle of April. I bought into the early warm temperatures and planted a garden of potatoes, green lettuce and tomatoes only to replant them…twice in one year. Yep, in Oklahoma for winter, expect the unexpected. Sixty degrees one day, and 25 degrees the next.

This uncertain weather pattern reminds me of Jesus second coming. The Bible foretells of it and even gives us indicators that will lead up to the event. However, we have to remember that no man knows the day or hour (Matt. 24:36). We see things that lead us daily to see His return: war in Middle East, famine, disease, earthquakes, wild weather changes, increase in violence and much more.

It is kind of like Oklahoma weather…predictably unpredictable. We know it’s going to be cold in January, warmer in February, a chance of snow in March and likely a freeze in April. June will be hot and humid, and July and August will be scorching hot.

Just because Jesus tarries in His return does not mean He is not going to return. With God a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years a day (2 Peter 3:8) and that He is not slack concerning His promise and will come as a thief in the night (2 Peter 3:9-10). Just like we saw temperatures drop from the 40’s to single digits and raise almost as fast, Jesus will come back even faster.

We have clothes prepared to wear for whatever the weather outside is for the day. Are we as prepared for Jesus’ return? Are we prepared today, tomorrow, next week or next year?

Not Packing the Parka…Yet, Bro. Tim