Ready or Not?

Is Life a Puzzle for you?
What does your future hold?
Ready or not...here He comes!

Prayer – Lord, I still struggle with Your directive to “be prepared” or to “be ready” for…. What does our future hold? You’ve written in the book of Revelation and given us clues in Matthew and other books including those to the Thessalians, but still we have to decipher all that and put the puzzle together, so please give me wisdom and understanding for what I need to do to prepare for the coming days. Thank you. 

Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready. "Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." Peter asked, "Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?" And the Lord replied, "A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But what if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful. And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn't prepared and doesn't carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. Luke 12:35-48 NLT (Underlined for emphasis.)

 

Meditate. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.

 

This may seem like a long passage—but we are directed to be prepared and carry out God’s instructions. I was focusing on “be ready” because we don’t know when He will return, but as I read and re-read this story, I noticed the words “given” and “entrusted.” What is the difference? How do those apply to our lives—our situations? Given – to supply, provide, furnish, or commission. Entrusted – to set before, to deposit, to commend, commit, or set before. To me, given is like presenting someone with a gift, whereas entrusting to allow someone to take possession of something precious or of great value. God gives everyone the gift of life here on earth. We have the option or choice to make of it what we will. God entrusts wisdom and knowledge those who ask for it in Jesus’ name—to those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Everyone is given the gift—and those who make the most of that gift are entrusted with something even more valuable. Eternal life with Jesus Himself—in the very presence of the Almighty God.

Just as Luke wrote about this story that Jesus told describing the servants whose Master is gone and returns at an unexpected time, we have to be “ready” all the time for Jesus’ return. If He returns in our lifetime—it will be wonderful. If not, then we wait—and take what is given or entrusted to us during this time of our existence. Eventually, we will be with Jesus in Heaven, if we believe in Him as our Savior. A win-win situation for believers. Ready or not…Here He comes!

 

Verse of Salvation ~ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 1 Peter 1:3-5

© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

 

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories