We are told to be ready.  Ready for what?  The coming of an enemy, the dawn of a new age of enlightenment, the arrival of the wrath of God.  What in any of these things would require any form or readiness on our part?  They will come and go whether or not any of us are ready.  Do not be deceived, the thing we are to be ready for is the return of our Master for his servants, the Church.

When he lands on the Mount of Olives, they will all see him.  When he fights those aligned against him in the valley of Jehoshaphat at Megiddo, everyone will see him.  What we will not see is when he comes “as a thief in the night” for those prepared to be snatched, captured, taken away before the outpouring of his wrath.  That trumpets call is a sober moment upon which I stake all my preparation, planning and thought.  I do not wish to be left behind, and the thought of it sends those customary shivers associated with a reverence for God’s Will.

What then does it mean to be ready?  Do I need to memorize the Bible, do I need to lead countless thousands to the cross, do I need to glow like the brightness of the sun?  None of these things are how we please God, although it would be amazing if any of us felt compelled to pursue that depth of faith.

Preparation is accepting, believing and demonstrating that belief that Christ came, lived a perfect life, became the sins of mankind and paid the price of our condemnation by being sacrificed upon the cross, to once and for all satisfy the Father’s righteous debt for sin, then he died, was buried and on the third day rose and ascended to heaven, in preparation of a return to rule and to reign.

Now I may not have put that in the exact syntax required by educated men or in the flowery language demanded by poets, but the things of God although complex are not hard to understand as satan would have people believe.  Just as simple is the concept that if you believe and obey which forgives your sins why then would you be required to suffer wrath for a debt that has already been paid by the sacrifice of Jesus?  It makes no sense.  Yes, we ought to be ready to give a defense of our faith or to explain the reason for our joy.  Yes, we ought to be prepared to give a testimony or to tell someone of the Good News of the Gospel.  These things are true.  However, without the filling of the Holy Spirit these things are impossible for us at the outset.  Therefore it is the evidence of the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit that is the true status of “readiness”.  Having the oil of God’s Spirit in our lamps, prepared to travel even in the darkness to follow the trumpets call.

If you are trying to be a better Christian, please stop.  If you are trying to be Holy please don’t be deceived by the demands of the enemy that you must do works to reach heaven.  If you need another self help book to try and heal the wounds of your youth or the remnants of sin, you are concentrating on worldly solutions to a spiritual problem.  Turn to Jesus.  Let him save you and set you free from bondage.  Ask for the indwelling of his spirit, that you might be made ready for the days to come.  Surrender to his will for your life and begin to be transformed by the renewing of your mind through the spirit of God.  This is not self help, this is God’s help, to do what we cannot do ourselves.  Heaven is a gift of God’s grace, reached only by the Will of God.  You cannot buy it, earn it, beg for it or trade for it, but you can be prepared for it.  My advice, simply be ready.