Thought for 9 October

Matthew 24:44

You also must be ready all the time.  For the Son of Man will come when least expected.

Somebody in our house decided that the whole place needed painting.  My own view was that it was good for at least another nine or ten years!!!!  However, the decision had been made and I had been informed the painter would be arriving at 7.30am sharp on Tuesday morning and it would take three days for the whole project to be completed.  As we get older, we forget things and I had forgotten how much preparation was required prior to Tuesday morning.  Matt or Gloss, Toasted Almond or Flawless Fawn, how many tins of each etc. and then furniture had to be moved to allow access to all the surfaces that had to be attended to.  There were a whole lot of things to be done before the painter was due to arrive. 

I got up at 6.30am on Tuesday morning and did the last-minute things required prior to 7.30am.  It got to about 8.00am and there was no sign of our painter.  I pointed this out to my project manager who, after checking her phone, said it was actually Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that he would be here.  This worked out to our advantage because there were still things that required doing prior to the painter coming and it gave us another day’s grace to rectify this.  We hadn’t been sufficiently prepared despite knowing the time we had to be prepared for and despite having more than adequate time to carry out this preparation. 

There is much in the bible that tells us how to behave towards those we come into contact with, how to behave in God’s eyes that see and know all things and what we have to believe in order to enjoy everlasting life in the heaven that he has created for us. 

Today’s passage tells us that we need to be prepared for the second coming of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour when he comes to judge the living and the dead. 

This is something we all need to give serious consideration to in terms of our personal Christian journeys.  We will come before Christ to be judged as individuals, not as part of an organisation, a team or a congregation.  The responsibility for our own salvation is entirely our own and there is none bar ourselves to blame if we fall short in the preparation or readiness.  

I knew when I had to be ready for the painter coming and despite that, wasn’t fully or properly prepared.  It’s a real challenge to make ourselves ready and prepared for a time that nobody except the Father knows.  It would serve us well to always keep this in our hearts. 

Heavenly Father, Help us to do our best to live each day being faithful to the ways we have been taught by you when you walked in this world as we read in your Holy book.  Help us to be your servants in this life and be loving and patient with those with whom we come into contact.  We know that there is a day coming when you will return, a day when every knee will bow and recognise you as the Son of the living God. Help us do what we have been called to do in this life you have given us and help us make ourselves ready and prepared for your glorious return, whenever it may be.  Amen