God can and will use ANYTHING to speak to our hearts. Join me this week as I share one of His creepy crawley visual aids!
Be Alert and Ready
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.”Matthew 25:13 (NLT)
Ever since our uninvited guest graced our clean, freshly painted and well-organized garage, I find myself scanning the steps and surrounding area looking for snakes. I think I’m obsessed! It literally took more than a few days to open the door and not feel like my chest was going to explode from a racing heart! I realize that some of you, dear Readers, probably think I’m the biggest baby on the planet and that’s OK. But it would probably be an accurate assumption to say that there is something that causes your blood pressure to rise and your heart to pound! I tell you these crazy snake stories so you will know that we’re all in this boat together … these Doses of Encouragement are meant to encourage me as much as they are meant to encourage you!
Not long ago a group of us completed an in-depth study of the Gospel of Matthew, and it was interesting to see how Jesus progressively revealed truth to His followers, specifically to His disciples. His initial message echoed that of John the Baptist and the other Old Testament prophets: ‘Repent!’ but as time moved closer to the cross, Jesus shared more of what was going to happen to Him and what HAD to happen in order for the Scriptures to be fulfilled. On the heels of sharing details concerning the end of the age and His return, Jesus had a new message: Stay alert and be ready!
Watching for snakes is certainly not as important as staying alert spiritually and being ready for Jesus’ return, but I’ve asked myself what my life would look like if I were as diligent about being ready for Christ’s return as I have been about watching for slithery critters.
Would I care more? Would I give more? Would I share more? Would I keep less? Would I witness more? Would I judge less? Would I obey more? Would I love more? Would my life be a picture of constant and consistent worship?
What about you, Friend?
From my heart to yours,
Tami