Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on…Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap…and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? …But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you…Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." (From: Luke 12:22, 24, 31 & 40)

 In the "Daily Bread" recently, I read about a woman who lived in California who slept every night with her shoes and a flashlight under her bed. Why? Because her mother taught her always to be ready.

Since they lived in earthquake country, should an earthquake take place in the middle of the night, shattering windows and scattering debris, she would be prepared to walk on broken glass, as well as being able to see her way out of the rubble.

This reminded me of my own upbringing. My dad was always talking about being ready, being ready for the Lord's return. He looked for it every day, and taught us to do the same. Sometimes as a child, even though I had given my heart to the Lord at the age of eight, I would awaken in the night, fearful that the Lord had come and that I had been left behind. Perhaps that fear should not be instilled in a child; however, my father's teaching stayed with me to this day.

Although we have to live our daily lives, facing problems and carrying on with our careers, we are not to put out of our minds that these things are only temporal. When Jesus said, "Be ready," He was telling us that uppermost in our minds should be His coming. He told us not to worry about temporal things. He pointed us to the crows.

They don't spend their days worrying where their food will come from. They don't worry where they will sleep. They fly around without a worry in the world. This doesn't mean that we are to sit around and expect life to be handed to us on a silver platter. Of course not! Even the crows have to scrounge for their food. No! We are to work. We are to do with all our might the work God has given us to do, no matter how menial it may seem to us. Work goes along with being ready.

Don't let Jesus catch us sleeping
When He calls us home on high.
He has told us to be ready,
For His coming draweth nigh.
Could be morning, noon, or evening
When the trumpet sound we hear.
May He find us ever watchful,
For our Lord will soon appear.

© Helen Dowd

Bio

Helen Dowd enjoys spending time at her computer, alongside her husband of  54 years, writing poetry, story poems, stories about pets and life in general, as well as inspirational and Bible stories. Her writings can be found on her website: www.occupytillicome.com. Email address: hmdowd@telus.net