READY
All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, He devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from Him. (2 Samuel 14:14 NLT)
Get ready! Are you ready? You better be ready. Ready is a much-used word and everyone knows what it means. We all have experienced waiting for someone who is not ready. We have prodded and reminded. We have given advance warning. We have put reminders in our own phones, only to be surprised by the reminder and having to scurry about for something we forgot.
Life in Christ is an opportunity to practice readiness. Are we ready to change course when Holy Spirit speaks? Are we practicing the presence of God? Ready is not just about being ready to go with the Lord to heaven. Ready is about the joy of walking with Him here as well.
As I spent time with God this morning thinking about going to be with the Lord; I thought about the joy of going to be with Him, and at the same time wondered if maybe it was even more amazing that He comes to be with us in this life. God with us is an amazing life!
We are often reminded of our mortality. People often fear the end of earthly life. I think that is because they fail to consider the life that is now available in Christ. Are we ready to reveal the life that is in Christ?
Is it a priority in our lives to be ambassadors for Christ? Do we want to represent Him only when it is convenient?
As I read about Stephen as he was being stoned to death, crying out to God to forgive the folks throwing the stones, I thought; he was certainly ready. He followed the example Jesus set on the cross. That is a special kind of ready.
Jesus told us to bless those who curse us. I would call that ready practice! Life really is amazing in Christ Jesus. Romans tells us to present ourselves to God. Just come to Him. As in the verse above, we can be sure that He is devising ways to draw us closer as well as bringing us back. We should take great comfort knowing that God is busy making us ready.
We really can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Are we ready to believe that? Are ready to stand on that truth when it looks like there is no way it is true. But it is true! Remember the devil is a liar. When he tempted Jesus, he wanted him to question if He was the son of God. On the cross they mocked Jesus because He healed others but was not getting down off the cross. Jesus was ready, and He knew God was working!
A world class runner goes the line ready. They know they have put in the work and when the start says ready it is what they have been waiting for. Sometimes they are so ready they jump the gun. I want to be so ready to do the will of God that I always start when the gun goes off. God is not only devising return plans, He is also devising ways to help us walk with Him here and now!