Mathew 24:42: Are You Ready?

As with our youngest daughter’s birth -she was two weeks or more late - when the due date came and went we could have taken everything out of the baby bag we had prepared for that day and put it away. If we did, it wouldn’t stop the baby from coming. We just wouldn’t be prepared for her arrival and even if I was looking for everything that we had unpacked and I couldn't find what I need in time, the baby would still come at the pre-appointed time, I just may have missed out on the blessings of that moment. Baby was coming soon whether we were ready or not.

Advent is about being prepared and waiting. Jesus is coming back. In our life; are we ready for him? Are our spiritual bags still packed? Or have we in the weeks, months and years since we gave our lives to Christ, have we been slowly unpacking our heavenly baby bags? Do we still have our Bibles that we read daily in there or did we put them back on the shelves because Jesus hasn’t come just yet? He’s still coming. How about our incessant, fervent prayers: do we still practice them daily or have we put them away until we feel we need them? How about our offering of food, clothing, and love to the least, the lost, and the last: is this still with us and in our spiritual baby bags or have we filed these away somewhere; leaving us unprepared for the immanent arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming soon?

If Jesus comes like an overdue baby tonight, are we ready? Will we be there to greet him or will we miss out? Today, are our bags packed with our prayers, Bible study, and love for our neighbour? Are we ready to meet our maker when he returns? As sure as Baby was coming soon and indeed did eventually arrive, Jesus is coming very soon. When he arrives, are we ready? Are we ready for when he shows up like a thief in the night or will we be left outside like the unprepared bridesmaids? Are we investing the talents God is entrusting us with? Or will He take back even the very life that He has loaned us because we wasted it? Jesus is coming soon. When he does, will he say to us ‘away from me’? Or will he say to us, because we are prepared to meet him, ‘take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’ - and ‘well done my good and faithful servant’? In short, I ask us today, Jesus is coming soon, whether we are ready for it or not; so are we ready?

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