Day Fifty-Nine

Scripture Reference Luke 12:35-40

Have you heard the commercial for a certain motel chain? “We’ll leave the light on for ya!” I thought of this when I was reading Beth’s comments.

How do they know what time I will arrive? They don’t. But they are prepared. The bed is made. The towels are clean and everything needed is at hand. I’ve only visited that particular chain of motels once or maybe twice in my life. They had the essentials. Nothing extra. I like the breakfast bar. The fresh coffee and cereal or biscuits in the morning. Sorry. This post is not about that. It’s about being found ready. Let’s move on.

When we were growing up, our mother worked as a bookkeeper in a nearby city. About a 25 minute drive from our house. We knew that every single day she expected the house to be neat and if she had something laid out for supper, and had given me instructions on preparing it, she expected to smell it when she walked in.

Well…you know we were kids. I was (still am), the oldest. Then Wanda, Aimee and finally, bringing up the rear was the baby brother. The ONLY boy. Got the picture? He was a mite bit spoiled. Didn’t have to do anything much…except be a bit annoying at times. THANKFULLY he grew up! Thankfully….we all did! (We really had a great family of kids—and mother was the icing on the cake!)

We had it timed down to the last minute. Mother got off work at 5. That meant that we had to hustle if we started at 5 to have everything “sloppily done” by 5:30. Most of the time it was done right. But I am SURE there were those few times that it was just slopped through. We would goof off watching TV—Gilligan’s Island, Beverly Hillbillies (this was when they were only re-runs in the afternoon…before any such thing as Nick at Nite or TVLand) or we’d be playing…and sometimes…doing homework! (Imagine that!)

But I think back to those days and wonder at our silliness. Why didn’t we just do as we were told? So many distractions. The TV. Games. Fun stuff to keep us otherwise occupied. A time or two, the 5:00 alarm just sneaked up on us!

There will be no warning alarm. We are told in the Word to “be found ready”. Be prepared.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 2 Peter 3:14 NIV(emphasis mine)

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. 2Peter 3:10-12(a) (emphasis mine)

That pretty much tells it all. Right? I am praying daily for the Lord to show me where I need to change my attitude—repent—renew my mind! I want to be found doing what He has called to the best of my ability. I want to be found ready. Not on the way to getting ready. The 5:00 alarm will not give us a 30 minute warning.

Let’s get busy for Him. Doing what He has called us to do.

Father in heaven, I am here. Again. Asking You to use me—to fulfill Your desire for my life. Show me where I need to be molded into a fashion that You set out for me from the beginning. Pull my path back in line with Yours. Keep me straight. Help me have the vision that You have. Help me have the love and compassion that You desire in each of us. Teach me. I thank You for each heart that stops by here to read and study. I want more of Your word than ever before! Fill me up! In the holy name of Jesus I pray—believing with all my heart!~Amen.

Keeping the Faith,

Angie