Earthquake

The morning started much like any other morning in Southern California. was sipping a cup of coffee while listening to the TV weather man saying, in faintly bored tones: “If you liked yesterday’s weather you’ll love today’s.”

Then suddenly the world began to tilt and twist!

I was staring through the patio doors and saw a huge swell of water starting at the north end of the swimming pool propagating a wave of water towards the south end and spilling more than a foot over the rim. At the same time, the house literally seemed to jump up and down as if a giant hand was shaking it. I was too terrified to move at first and only remember shouting to my wife Mary, who was still in the kitchen preparing breakfast, to get under a table. She was too far away to do this, but had the presence of mind to run under a door frame.

It seemed like the tremor had gone on for minutes; but when it finally stopped, I looked at the clock and saw the first shock wave had only lasted thirty seconds.

My scientific training recalled that there would be more aftershocks as big or bigger before things quieted down. I rushed down the hall to see if the children were all right (they were) and got them under door frames and away from heavy objects that could fall on them. They had been jarred out of their beds and seemed to know instinctively what ought to be done.

The next tremor came about one minute later and was slightly less powerful than the first. Some books toppled off a shelf and a vase flew across the room somehow landing intact.

This proved to be the last major aftershock of the day. Several more tremors followed; but within thirty minutes, the worst appeared to be over.

We later learned that the first quake caused three fatalities and $60 million in damages. Fortunately for us, though only a few miles from the epicenter, we were uninjured physically. The damage to property was slight but the injury to our psyche was another matter. It’s hard to explain the sense of fear that comes over you in such a moment. I had lived through other natural disasters, but none really had the same effect on me or the family.

Coming only recently to California after living most of our lives on the east coast of the United States, this was a brand new phenomenon for us. In the year we had been here, no small quakes had occurred to prepare us for this Whittier quake which measured 6.1 on the Richter scale. There are other factors that increased the anxiety caused by this earthquake. The fact that it came totally without warning jars the senses in a way that is indescribable.

Having lived through many hurricanes which did far more damage than this particular earthquake is simply not a comparable situation. For one thing, in a hurricane you have plenty of warning, sometimes up to several days. You can use this time to tape up your windows, store food, buy candles and oil for hurricane lamps, and bring in wood for your fireplace. There is a sense of control. None of this prevails in an earthquake, and in spite of the millions spent on research in recent years, scientists hadn’t a clue that could have led them to predict in advance the Whittier quake. Neither were we personally prepared. We had no bottled supply of water in case the mains broke, as they did in some localities. We had no alternate source of light in case of power failure; although we still had our hurricane lamp, like the foolish virgins, it was without oil. Worst of all we had totally inadequate first-aid supplies. In a major quake, hospital and clinical facilities could easily be overwhelmed with serious, trauma cases making it essential that we could handle minor injuries our­selves and also be in a position to help others who might need care.

I could not help wondering: will it be like this in the day of the Lord’s coming? “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night” (II Pet. 3:10). Through the apostle Peter, the Spirit reminds us by way of stirring “up our pure minds by way of remembrance” (v.1). But will we remember when it really counts? Or will we unconsciously fall into the same trap as the scoffers. We would not consciously echo their cries: “Where is the promise of his coming?” But we could fall into a pattern of behavior that emulates the same thoughts by our deeds or lack of them. By not having our spiritual lamps filled with oil and by failing to be washed by the pure waters of the Gospel on a regular basis, we reflect a scoffer’s frame of mind. If we are slack in our attendance at the memorial service and other ecclesial functions, “forsaking the assembly of ourselves together, as the manner of some is” (Heb. 10:25), if we deny ourselves and our families the regular spiritual food of the bread of life and the wine of remembrance because of pressing worldly commitments, are we any better than they?

The Sunday after the quake saw record church attendance in Southern California. It was the same for our ecclesia. We were thankful that none in the household had been harmed nor had any suffered significant property loss. We were well blessed! But will we remember?

As the weeks go by and the memory dims will the new resolve at preparedness continue? Will we be ready for that great earthquake that will shake the whole world ? “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon … and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great” (Rev. 16:16,18). “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matt. 24:42).