CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 833

“Found Ready”

Luke 12:35-38 (NIV)  Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.  It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes… even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.

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I don’t like surprises.  I hate being caught unaware and unprepared.  Until I developed disciplined study habits in school I used to dread pop quizzes.  Once I learned to be prepared and not procrastinate assignments my attitude changed to ‘Bring it on, I’m ready!’

Far too many of us allow trivial distractions to preoccupy our time. We gravitate toward what is not urgent and not important in life and procrastinate important items to the point that they become critical and we find ourselves in crisis mode. How many of us as parents have experienced the ‘night before its due’ crisis of a child’s class project?  How many of us have been thrust into crisis mode at work because of a coworker’s failure to plan and execute according to plan?

Our tendency to waste time on the trivial carries over into the spiritual realm of our lives as well.  The attractions of this world as well as its worries all work to distract us and keep us distanced from God.  Like the student or employee who procrastinates preparing their assignments, we also tend to procrastinate preparing and nurturing our spiritual well-being.

Jesus said to ‘Be dressed ready for service’.  This meant to gird up one’s loins. This was done by tucking the loose ends of one’s outer garment into one’s belt. Loins were girded in preparation for running, for battle, or for service for a master. Jesus is saying, ‘Be ready for action’.  Picture in your mind Olympic speed skaters poised at the starting line like a coiled spring. They are dressed in special garments ready and waiting for the starting signal.  Jesus wants us to be that alert, waiting, anticipating and ready for when He returns.

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ …“Be holy, for I am holy.”- 1 Peter 1:13-16

Jesus continued saying ‘keep your lamps burning‘. In Matthew 5:14 Jesus said to His disciples “You are the light of the world.” He also said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world” and in John 9:5 “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

The earth’s moon provides light to the dark side of the world by reflecting the sun which is the source of light in our solar system.  Similarly, we are expected to reflect the light of Jesus Christ in this dark world. In order to keep our lamps burning we need to avoid allowing the trivial things of this world to distance us from God.  To reflect His light, we must remain close to Him.

Jesus stated in our reference Scripture that we are to be waiting for Him. Many of us do not wait well. We become weary in waiting.  Then the enemy begins to distract us and we let our lamps dim or go out completely.

Consider him who endured … hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted;And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  – Hebrews 12:3; Galatians 6:9

May your lamp always burn brightly and may you be found ready when He comes.