Preparing for What?

     Have you noticed that it seems we are always preparing for something? Runners are always preparing for their next race.  Newlyweds are preparing for life together.  We have a million and one things we are preparing for: a new house (or improvements to the one we are now in), a new job, a new car, a new child, holidays, reunions, graduations, parties, vacations, etc… . And when you reach that certain age of life you begin to plan for things like retirement, visits from grandkids and joint replacements.

     I believe it is a good thing to prepare for the events of life. Some are simple to deal with while others require much thought, time, energy and, sometimes, money.  I have a dear couple in my congregation who are preparing for the adoption of a child from another country.  It is not something that can be undertaken haphazardly. There is a great deal of preparation involved in such a venture – some of which involves other people. The mountain of paperwork; applications to fill out, asking people to write references, home inspections, government agencies from two countries to contend with and satisfy – not to mention the large amount of money involved.

     My wife and I have been in the process of preparing to send our son off to college in the fall. Not nearly the undertaking of adoption but filled with time consuming paperwork, much decision making, and about the same amount of money.  It takes preparation to do it right and do it well.

     As a pastor it is not unusual for me to hear people share about such life events.  And I want to be properly supportive in each and every situation.  Yet, in over 30 years of ministry I have yet to have anyone tell me they are actively preparing for the most important thing any of us can prepare for.  That is right; no one has come up to me and proclaimed, “I am preparing to meet Jesus!”  Perhaps I should clarify that: no one who is vibrant and healthy, with the expectation of life still to be lived has shared that with me. Apparently, only the elderly or infirm are expected to make those kinds of plans.

     I do not want this to sound morbid, but what value is this life if it is not spent in preparing to die well?  And the only way to die well is to live with the anticipation of meeting Jesus.  I am afraid that we have become so wrapped up in preparing for the events of this life – and we are to prepare for them and enjoy them as the good gifts they were intended to be – that we have failed to adequately prepare for the one event each and every one of us will share in common.

     I have chosen to spend each waking moment preparing for the day I stand before my Lord and Savior.  No matter what else I may have accomplished in life, it will have been worthless if I do not hear Him say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your reward!”

     So, what are you preparing for?