The Trip of Your Life
When we leave for a vacation, we always pack our bags a few days before we leave, especially if it is an early morning departure. We almost always have everything ready to go because we want to leave at a certain time, usually very early in the morning. We wish to leave early, so we prepare beforehand. Getting ready is necessary in order to be ready.
Jesus said “You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” (Luke 12:40 NLT)
That is the concept Jesus was communicating when He said, “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.” (Luke 12:35-36 NLT)
In other words, have your walking shoes on and be prepared to leave.
In order to be ready for the return of Jesus we ought to be engaged in activities that we would not be ashamed of if He were to return. It is an honest thing to ask yourself periodically, “This place where I am going, this thing that I am getting ready to do, would I be embarrassed or ashamed to be doing this if Jesus were to return?” If the answer is affirmative, then don’t do it. If you can’t pray for God’s blessings upon what you are doing, having arrived at them through a study of his word… then those activities should be out-of-bounds for you.
First John 3:2-3 says, “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.” (NLT)
If we believe that Jesus is coming, it should cause us to live godly lives. “[God’s Word] teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” (Titus 2:12 NIV) And, “Since everything will be destroyed …, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.” (2 Peter 3:11 NIV)
Are you ready for the trip of your life? If not, why not?
Fenwick, Ontario