While many of us believe that we are in the end times, I wonder how many of us are truly ready for the end times? What I mean by ready is that if the Lord would return today, would we want Him to wait just a minute for some undone project, or wait for us to check on that loved one just one more time? We know that Scripture tells us: “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” Luke 9:62 But isn’t it almost like you can’t help it, unfinished things just seem to take precedent when faced with an immediate decision. But even though we wait impatiently, for the Lord, He is giving us time to get right with Him. Here is what Scripture also tells us: “Therefore, brothers, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near. Brothers, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door! Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. See, we count as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” James 5:7-11 The Lord has been patient with us concerning His return, but let’s not be lulled into thinking that it won’t be in our lifetime. It could be today, or even tomorrow, or next week. It might be 50 years. But let’s take a lesson from the Israelites who became complacent when they hadn’t heard from God for a while. They forgot and were lulled into some other type of action such as worship of idols. We have been becoming more complacent in this generation. But now we see things happening in the spiritual realm; we see changes happening between those who believe, and those who do not. We think it might be the advent of the return of Christ. There is nothing wrong with that thinking if it brings us back to the focus we are supposed to have in Him. The question is, Can we change from our complacent behavior in time for His appearance? We will not be given the opportunity to go back and finish that one more thing when that happens. We will not be able to ask the Lord to let us complete one more project here on earth. If we do that, we are putting the things of earth ahead of our love and trust in Christ. Our focus needs to be on Him, our trust completely in Him. While we wait, we are patient, but aware; we are focused completely on Him while we live in this present time. We do not let the distractions of the world cause us to become complacent, but daily live for Him returning, even today. Let’s trust Him and let our trust fully rest in His care of us, not in complacency that He will pack up for us when He returns, but He wants to find us ready, not to take the things of the world, but to gladly leave all things, and follow Him.
Barnabas Man 