Are You Ready?

I remember once when I was telling my older son, Ian, then 5, that Jesus will one day return to take those who belong to Him to heaven to live with him for eternity. In his childlike innocence and with all the wisdom he could muster and had accumulated in all of his 5 years, he asked me an interesting question, "Mom, do we need to pack?"

Anyone would smile at this innocent and inquisitive yet very valid question. Well, I certainly did and that question has never failed to bring a smile to my face every time I think about it. That was 3 years ago and since then, it has also served as a good reminder as well as a warning to me...in several ways actually.

First factor, a reminder...the answer really depends on what you're going to be packing cuz in Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." So if you had been accumulating lots of earthly stuff like stashed cash, fashionable clothes and beauty products that would help you look young for eternity, no, don't bother. But...if you had been stockpiling sacrifices and deeds done in obedience to Jesus, centred your thoughts and life on fulfilling God's purpose for you, changing your ways as led by his Holy Spirit even at great cost to you, you can be sure that the mansion God had prepared for you would be filled with heavenly treasures, rewards accorded and stored up to you. And the best deal is, your treasure is safe...no combination locks required, no 24-hour security needed. It's there waiting for you even right now. So my question is, what are you doing with your life right now...with your time, energy, thoughts, God-given resources, intellect, etc?

Second factor, a warning...packing is associated with getting ready for a journey. Jesus said this in Matthew 24 : 42-44, "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Jesus warns that His people must be watchful and to be ready...to be watchful that we would not be easily deceived by the Devil and thus follow the ways of this world, to be ready so that when Jesus returns, He would find us actively in the midst of something that would please him...such as praying, reading and studying God's word, spreading the Gospel, actively serving, living an upright and fruitful life, drawing closer to Him in knowledge, faith and dependency? So what will it be? To go on living a meaningless life heading for destruction or to live each day with purpose, watchful and ready to stand before God.

I chanced upon the following from another blogger who put this so aptly...

God gives us no warning of when this will take place. He won't call us on the telephone to say that He's in the area and will drop by around 4 o'clock if that's convenient. We will not be given an opportunity to run around frantically trying to clean up our living space to make it appear acceptable to Him. God wants us to be ready at any moment for His appearance. We need to live each day as if it was our last, and focus on the things that really matter--like developing a relationship with Him. The day will come when we will run out of opportunities to get our hearts right with God. While we still have time, we need to spend time with Him.

I have to confess...I am definitely guilty of thinking at times...I'll get it right tomorrow. Silly me, thinking that God somehow didn't see the failings of today. Those times when I cringe at the tone I have taken with a friend, or a co-worker, or when I've been less than loving or let's face it, just flat out rude to someone. The lies that I've told, the impatience I display, my lack of service or action for someone in need...turning the blind eye b/c I was in a hurry or having a personal pity party of some sort. Worse yet, the days that I worship my 'idols' over God, the days that I fail to worship Him at all, the days that I doubt. In all of it, there's always that quiet thought...'I'll get it right tomorrow'.

God sees today though, and it breaks His heart. Tomorrow will come with it's own shortcomings and more promises for the next day and what then? Every day filled with empty and unfulfilled intent...what if tomorrow doesn't come? What if I'm faced with Judgment tonight? I know that I am covered in the blood of Christ and my salvation is secure...but do I really want to stand before God to account for my countless unfulfilled promises and good intentions? How humbling and literally humiliating will it be?? Or do I want to be able to stand before Him and hear Him say 'well done good and faithful servant. You fought the good fight'.

I am so grateful for the mercy that He has offered, allowing me to be secure in my salvation in spite of the shortcomings of my flesh...but I want to be more for Him, I want to make Him proud just as I desired to make my earthly father proud as a little girl. There was no greater feeling than seeing my fathers eyes after doing something that made his heart swell with pride. Even as a child, I knew my father well enough to know what pleased him, what made him happy, what would make him proud of me, and I strived to do those exact things. I want to see Gods eyes light up in the same way. How do I do that in relation to God? Well, I think it starts with something Miller talked a/b this week. Becoming nothing - just as Jesus did...emptying myself and becoming nothing except what my Father sees me as. Seeing only what He sees, doing only what I see Him do, saying only what I hear Him say...and that is only done by knowing Him and His ways so intimately that they become my own ways w/o second thought. I desire the gifts, the blessings and the authority I have been promised through Christ...but Lord, I desire the giver so much more.

Please don't misread what I'm saying here - in no way can we 'earn' our Fathers love by acts and works - it is given just because we exist...just b/c he created us. Rather, I want to please and serve Him b/c He loves me so much. I want to make Him proud b/c of the mercy and grace he has offered. It is my response to what He has already freely given me. It is often said that we must give love in order to receive it and the Lord has given us more than we know what to do with...it's only fair that He should receive my love in return, in the form of obedience and righteous living.