Are You Ready?

Mark 1:1-3
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”—
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”

It's baseball season.

I had the joy of attending a Cincinnati Reds baseball game with my granddaughter and her boyfriend. We sat in my husband’s section, where he ushers. Before the game, I was watching the behind-the-scenes action on the field. One of the field crew smoothed the dirt with a drag matt he pulled behind his small tractor. After he finished, a crew brought out a water hose and doused the dirt. I had watched this process before, at other games, but at this game it reminded me of how many people it takes to get things ready ahead of time.

The folks in the concession stand, the ticket takers, security, ushers and more, get the baseball stadium ready for the fans and players.

Isaiah prophesied about the preparation for the coming Messiah. John the Baptist got things ready. He preached of one coming who would reconcile people with God. He prepared the way for Jesus. Without John, the listeners may not have believed Jesus was the Son of God.

Jesus lived on this earth, died for our sins, and rose again in victory over the grave. Now we have one more thing to prepare for. His return. He’ll come on clouds of glory and welcome God’s children home.

How am I preparing for that? Reading the Bible to better understand the life God wants me to lead. Praying for my loved ones and folks in need and talking to God about my own salvation. Attempting to live a life that reflects the love of Jesus on others. Loving God and loving people.

Be ready for Jesus’ return. He’s coming back.

Are You Prepared to Celebrate?

Luke 2:4-5

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 

“Be prepared, just not to be safe, but to be a faithful servant of God.”-Didi Bacon

Christmas takes preparation. With five children, four with spouses, and eleven grands, I have to begin preparing for the holidays early, because I prefer to take my time rather than stress.

For Christmas dinner, I keep it simple. Yet, the meal takes organization. Yesterday, I spent a chunk of the day cooking hamburger for sloppy joes and chopping peppers for pizza dip. When I finished, I tucked both into the freezer until December 24. As I stirred the burger and cooked the pink out, my mind wandered to Joseph and Mary. Weird, I know, but that’s how my brain works.

God had chosen Mary to be Jesus’ momma, and he picked Joseph as Jesus’ earthly father because Joseph was a man of integrity who loved God. Obviously, Joseph took care of Mary. When he heard Caesar Augustus called for them to travel to Bethlehem for the census, he loaded the donkey (at least that's what we learned in Sunday school,) and he and Mary joined the caravan on the journey. I’ve no doubt Joseph packed water and snacks, along with blankets and bags of clothes. He prepared for the long trip, but he didn’t stop there. His most important preparation wasn’t food or clothes, instead he took the time to prepare his heart.

Joseph had accepted his role in the coming of King Jesus. With willingness, Joseph humbled his heart and opened his mind to the changes coming to his family. He looked to God with a servant’s heart and accepted the part God asked him to take on. He chose to love the One who would change the world, even as he raised Jesus as his son.

Joseph’s willingness to accept his circumstances kind of blows my mind. His faith was extraordinary. His actions push me to prepare for Christmas, not in gift giving and cooking, but more importantly, to prepare my heart to worship the King.

Christmas is about Jesus. He’s the reason we celebrate. With humility, I ask God to open my eyes and heart in service to Him.

Prepare your heart to worship God and serve Him in this holy season.

I'm Not Home Yet

John 14:1-4
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Have you ever prepared for a long trip? A journey to a new place? An adventure of a lifetime. We've spent the last few months booking places to stay, creating lists of things to do, pages of what to pack and mapping out a route. Maybe you do this for vacation, taking a child to college, or moving across the country. This year, we'll be packing our bags for a week long excursion across several states. I'm excited to go places I've never been and see things I've only dreamed of. But to go from dreaming about the trip to actually loading the car and driving off, we've had to get ready.

In John 14, Jesus talks about a different kind of journey he's designing for his followers. Building 429 sings, Where I Belong, a song that talks about not being home yet and looking forward to the time when they'll meet Jesus face-to-face. Even as Jesus sets the table in his Father's mansion and lays out a path for me to follow, I need to prepare for the journey. I can't just sit around and dream about the day I'll see Jesus. I need to pray and listen to his voice. I want to follow his map, the Bible. I try to obey my God and Savior, as I anticipate his coming. He's promised to return for the faithful. I praise God for his grace and the opportunity to spend eternity in heaven. I know I'm not home yet. But someday I will be spending my days at the feet of Jesus' throne.