I haven't written in this blog for quite a while, and I'm really trying to focus on making it a regular thing. I thought I'd begin with a summation of what's been swirling in my heart lately. Am I ready to meet Jesus?
I have read often in my life the biblical passages that caution us to be ready for the coming of Christ. Amos 4:12 tells us to "Prepare to meet thy God." Matthew 24:44 says "be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." The question arises, 'AM I ready? What does that mean?'
After accepting Jesus as my one and true Savior, preparation to meet Him can only come through dedication to the purposes for which I have been placed on earth – to trust in and carry out the will of God as He has commanded. We've been commanded to love – love our neighbor as ourselves; to trust – trust in the Lord; to go – and teach all nations. However, even if we have done these things, is it enough? I don't think so.
God doesn't need anything we have. He has no use for man's material creations and monetary gifts. So what would be a fitting gift with which to honor our Lord when we first see Him face to face? I believe that Jesus wants nothing from us except to come before Him with truly contrite hearts, humble spirits, and an openness to love. The gift of ourselves is all we truly have to offer, but we also need to ensure that the gift of ourselves – our very souls, is as worthy as we can ineptly make it.
In pondering this thought, I kept coming back to one particular scene in the movie Schindler's List. Oskar Schindler has rescued 1200 Jews from certain death in concentration camps, but when the war was over, he agonized to his friend, Itzhak Stern over how many more he could've saved. He pointed to his car, a lapel pin, all the money he'd made, and said "This car. Goeth would've bought this car. Why did I keep the car? Ten people, right there. Ten people, ten more people ... This pin, two people. This is gold. Two more people. He would've given me two for it. At least one. He would've given me one. One more. One more person. A person, Stern. For this. I could've gotten one more person and I didn't. I didn`t ....."
I wonder if I'll say the same thing when my life here is over…. Just one more. If I had told the person at the grocery store about Jesus, he might have been saved. Why didn't I tell just one more person. If I hadn't gossiped, told that fib… if I'd been a better example, maybe they'd have seen that 'something" that I have and asked me about it. Then I could've been a witness to just one more. Will I have done ALL that I could for the kingdom of God? Will I have used all of God's resources? Shouldn't my goal be to face the Father not to have Him say, "why didn't you use all your gifts and talents in My name," but to hear "Well done! You've used up all you were given for Me." When you come to the end of yourself, you find the beginning of God.
I've had many hours of prayer time lately and many conversations with the Lord – some good, and some not so good. Inadvertently, they all lead to the same conclusion. Was I ready to meet the Lord? Had I truly died to self and submitted wholly? Fortunately, the unconditional love of God is and always will be there for me like a safety net, ready to catch me when I fall and wrapping me up in mercy and forgiveness. He knows that no matter how long I live, I'm still just a child, taking baby steps toward the Kingdom of righteousness. And God? Well, He's there, like a father should be, holding my hands and teaching me how to walk every step of the way.
