Be Ready

By Chaplain (Col) Stephen W. Leonard, USA, Ret.

Jesus spent much of his time leading up to Holy Week and His crucifixion speaking about His second coming and the spiritual readiness and fitness of His followers and all others for that coming.

He told parables that focused on their readiness. He spoke of what that time before His coming would be like, comparing it to the time of Noah, and all peoples’ activities, and the devastating judgement of the flood which came, when it came, devastatingly fast. And there was nothing to do to save themselves. Yet, He was concerned along with Noah with giving man warning that that day might not catch them unaware.

No one will be able to say men were never warned of the Second Coming and judgement. They may not have read the Word to receive the warning, yet the Word has been made available universally. On top of that, there is the cry of evangelists, missionaries, and committed Christians down through the ages up to the present: “Read the Word!”

The warning is there if folks are willing to look for it. If they miss it, they cannot blame God. I believe God gives man an instinct that there are warnings concerning His coming and about man being prepared for it. Yet, man will still say, “What warning? I did not hear or read any warning!” God’s answer will be, “It was within your easy grasp. All you had to do was look. And what is more, I gave you the natural instinct that I am here in the Universe which I created.” (Romans 1) “All you had to do was take the time to look and observe.”

All men know deep down within themselves that there is a God. The Scripture tells us this testimony is within every man (Romans 1, as well as the complete Word), since God made him. Denial is fruitless, and one day they will acknowledge that God is and that they knew it all along. Sin, and stubborn rebellion, kept them from finding him and acknowledging, “Yes, He really is!”

It is so sad that man looks for satisfaction in all the wrong places. He spends his life in worthless searches and trivial pursuits. But God is there for the having, while they do not want to have the only One who can satisfy their longing. The only response to this is, that is so sad!

But for you who hear His voice, take heed, and be ready, for we do not know the day or the hour when He comes. Invest what He has given you, and return it with interest. Buy oil while there is yet time to fill your lamps to the brim. And go out to meet the Bridegroom when the last trumpet sounds.

Encouragement