Yesterday in church I was sitting next to my daughter, Courtney who is pregnant.  As she was sitting there, her baby inside was kicking her up one side and down the other.  I giggled thinking about this little one who in a few short months will be bursting into our lives changing them forever.  Then my mind went to, “You think this is bad?  Wait until she’s a teenager!”  I can be a bit cynical now that I’ve raised 4 teens full or part time.  Raising two of them on my own makes up for the last two step children I got semi-part time!  Truth be told, I had at least one or more teens in my household for 13 consecutive years.  It has scarred me for life as I can’t look at a baby anymore without thinking about them being a teenager!  It’s been a perfect birth control if I ever thought I might want to adopt a child in my mid-life!

We went to lunch after church and Courtney was talking about getting a mattress for the baby and about the supplies she is gathering for its arrival.  You can see her eyes glisten when she talks about the hopes and dreams she has for her child.  You can find her at any given time sitting in her chair crocheting yet another blanket to wrap the little one in when it arrives.  She’s worrying about having the car seat in time and just pulling all of the details together for that upcoming day that no one but God knows at this point.  She knows it’s coming and she’s making sure she is ready for when it does.

There has been a lot in the news lately about the Mayans who have predicted the end of the world to be in December of this year.  I know the Bible says no one will know that day and time of Jesus’ second coming so these things don’t really resonate with me too much.  However, my mind started going to the thoughts of, “What if?”  What if God were to come back this December?  Do I have my affairs in order that I would be ready for Him if He did?  Just as Josh and Courtney are excitedly awaiting the arrival of their first child, I am also excitedly looking forward to the second coming of Jesus.  The big question remains however; have I made the correct preparations so I am ready when He does come?

If the baby were to arrive early and all of the preparations weren’t made yet thinking they had another 3 months, I am sure there would be chaos as everyone scrambled to get things together for the new princess’s arrival.  Just as if Jesus were to come today, I think He might catch many of us off-guard with more things on our “to-do list for Jesus” yet undone.  I have chosen to live 2012 as though there is no tomorrow.  Each morning when I rise, I am going to read my Bible and pray like today is my last day and ask for my instructions to make sure I am ready when He comes.

Won’t you join me in the preparation for His coming?  Who do you know that still needs Jesus as their Savior?  We need to pray for them now as tomorrow may never come.  Perhaps God is asking you to talk to them about their salvation.  Pray for doors to be opened for you to do just that.  Maybe He is just asking you to be their friend. Can you carve out time to make relationships that will count for eternity?  Are there things in your life you’ve been hanging onto for years–unresolved feelings, unforgiven wrongs against you, unconfessed sin?  What is it that would stand between you and God if He were to return today?

I am not typically a fanatic or alarmist about these things.  Though today in my spirit, I feel it’s time to get ready–time to start preparing for His arrival.  What can it hurt?  NOW is the time to get ready because some day—no one knows the day or the hour—Jesus will be here.  It can either be a time of chaos and regret, or a time of celebration and great joy.  The choice is yours!  Just don’t say I didn’t tell you so!

May there be a glisten in your eyes today as you ponder that day when we meet our Savior face to face!  Be blessed.

Mark 13:32-37  (NKJV)  ³² “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. ³⁴ It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. ³⁵ Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— ³⁶ lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. ³⁷ And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”