Sunday, December 20, 2015

Are you Prepared?

Wishing you and your loved ones a very blessed Christmas season – 
filled with the love, joy and peace that Jesus came to bring ! 


At this time of year, we are repeatedly  asked the same  question....
 "Are you prepared? Are you ready ?"   
We began weeks ago - planning, making lists, shopping, baking, cleaning - 
all in preparation for the holiday season. 

I think back to the first 'preparation' for Christmas ... 
when John the Baptist cried out that the time Isaiah had spoken about had come -
 the time to prepare was NOW. 
 "For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS: 'PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD; MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.' " 
Matthew 3:3 
Is this command, "Prepare the way of the Lord", still for us today? 

How do we 'prepare' for the Lord? 
 In our preparations to celebrate His coming, do we make straight paths for Him, 
or does He have to meander around our plans and step over our 'stuff' ?
 Are we only concerned with nostalgically remembering an event that happened a long time ago?
Or do we consider how we might focus on preparing our hearts for Him today?

Do we use this time of 'preparation' to remind ourselves that He is coming back? 
He is coming again!  
We are called to prepare so that we will be ready! 
 "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
Mat_24:44 
Are we prepared for Him to return?  Are we abiding in Him and He is us. 
Are we obedient to His every word...  our hearts full of love for Him and for others? 
Are we eagerly watching for Him to appear?

We all look forward to Christmas dinner .. a feast with all the trimmings! 
but Jesus Himself is preparing a feast for us when He comes back ...  
a banquet of heavenly proportions! 
The invitations have gone out - 
 "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
 Rev. 19:7
will you be ready? All preparations completed?   
   
***********************

2 comments:

Anneliese said...

The most important preparation can so easily be missed when everything else seems to have a louder call or claim on us. Thank you for this reminder to make straight paths and clear the way.

Judy said...

Thanks for the reminder of what is truly important at Christmas. Am I ready?