December 1, 2021 | Prepared
If someone were to ask you if you were prepared for Christ to come again, what would you honestly say? Is it something you’ve taken the time to think about? Would you be able to tell someone how you have prepared?
Matthew 24:44 gives us fair warning saying, “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” So, how do we do that? How do we prepare ourselves for Christ to come again, even if that time is tomorrow?
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 gives us some clues, it says, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” First we must remain on alert, always being ready in season and out of season. Since we have no idea of the time of His coming, we must live our lives every day as if that day has come. Every moment of every day should be occupied with the knowledge of Christ’s immanent return and lived accordingly.
Next the Holy Spirit asks us through Paul to stand firm in the faith. Here He is asking us to be steadfast, especially in those times the devil tries to weaken our confidence. As we wait, there will be those who try and convince us that we wait in vain. They will try and convince you that not only is Jesus not coming again but that there is no Jesus to come. Its in these times we must be unwavering in our faith, trusting fully in the promises of God we know to be true.
This next one might sound a little controversial, but Paul is not saying that we must be macho when he says we should be like men. Here he is pointing to responsibility. In these times men were responsible to provide for their families, to protect them and to love them more then themselves. Paul is asking the same of everyone. Know what you have been called to do and see that it gets done. Each has been given gifts to prepare themselves and to help prepare others. We are to use them according to God’s will so that we will not be caught unprepared.
Paul next advises his readers to be strong. The flaming arrows of the evil one will come on regular intervals to weaken you. Little by little the devil hopes to break you down so that, when Jesus does arrive, you will be unsuspecting and unready. Paul’s call to be strong is also a call to rely on God for that strength because His strength is the only strength that can sustain you as the devil attempts to destroy your resolve.
Finally, we are to do all of this in love. Only love can prepare us, not fear, not anger, not vengeance, only love. As we wait, we are not to wait in a shell, separate from others. We are to wait in service to others. The best way to prepare for Christ is to be Christ to the world. The best way to make ourselves ready is to live in love as we help prepare others to be ready. Only love will overcome the devil’s attempts to destroy the hope we have. Only love will sustain us as we live each day preparing for Christ’s return.
Matthew 25:13 again reminds us, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” Each day offers a new opportunity for His return and we, His people, are called to be ready for His welcome. We do this by making everything we do a ministry, glorifying Him is every way.
“…the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:11-14).
Certain expectations are sought after from those who faithfully wait for the Lord’s arrival. Will you be ready? If you are blessed to hear the trumpet blaring His coming, will you stand in eager anticipation or will you whither in fear?
Live each moment for Christ. Trust in Him to be good to His promises. Live in eager expectation of His coming again to take you to be with Him forever in paradise. “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” Please pray with me:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son and Your promise to send Him again so that we might live together in peace. Help us to prepare ourselves and others for His arrival and lead us to a greater knowledge of Him. Amen.
