Sunflower Faith

Matt 25:13: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

It’s late and tomorrow is the first day of home-schooling for us. What a weekend though it has been for many.

I know I had asked my husband if we could do something a little different for Labor Day weekend, but didn’t expect it would be spent, packing, preparing and staying up to the wee mornings, keeping an eye on a hurricane name Gustav.

Praise God for those who manage to dodge Hurricane Gustav and Praise God to those who made it through Gustav safely.

What a reminder for many who lived along the Gulf Coast States that it’s hurricane season and it’s far from over yet.

There are two more at this post out there and prayers go out to all who rode out Gustav, left due to Gustav and are keeping an eye on both Hanna and now Ike.

Getting ready for Gustav, it was a reminder to me and to those around us, that as Christians, we have to be careful not to let our guard down in our walk with our Heavenly Father.

When you stop and think about it, how many of us are prepared in case of emergency for a hurricane, a tornado, an earthquake or any natural disaster? How prepare are we ourselves about our own walk with our Heavenly Father?

Unlike a hurricane, where we have days and sometimes weeks in advance to know when a hurricane may or may not strike, it’s not the same when it comes to our walk with Jesus Christ.

The only person who knows the day and hour when Jesus Christ will return is our Heavenly Father, but besides that, Christ has promised that like a “thief in the night”, he can come back at any time.

Matthew 24:36-44 – But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels in heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Fro as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Then two shall be in the field: one shall be taken, the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore, be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Notice how Matthew 24:36-44 talked about Noah? Noah had enough time to know that he needed to follow the instructions of our Heavenly Father closely and prepare for the Great Flood. He didn’t just take what he had learned and placed it on the table for tomorrow, but took action today and prepared for the moment the rain would began.

The same goes for the day Jesus Christ will one day return. It maybe right now, today, tomorrow, next week, anytime…we will never be sure of the exact time and hour, but we do have this, the promise and the security of His return.

Despite the fact that we were lucky to have missed this one, we still talked over what else we may or may not need for our hurricane/emergency kit; Mentally and physically going over the emergency kit making sure that everything we needed was there, taking time to replenish or add, even though knowing we may not need our kit now, we will need it later.

Plans are made, we go over what worked and didn’t work this time and refine it for the next time that maybe the time we truly had to be on our toes.

However, with that, like knowledge that we don’t know when or where or if a hurricane will strike, we, as Christians, must strive to make sure that our house is in order, we are prepared and we are ready for the day and hour that Christ will return.

Therefore, be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. –Matthew 24.44

Like we take the time to prepare a hurricane kit, God has given us a “kit” to prepare for the return of Jesus Christ in the form of fellowship with other fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, the Holy Spirit and more than anything, in His Word.

If you haven’t had the chance to know Jesus Christ personally, I invite you to take the time to either learn more about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ or learn the basic “A B C” of knowing Christ here.

What is the ABC of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

It’s so simple.

A-Admit you are a sinner.

B-Believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins.

C-Confess your sins and ask for forgiveness and invite Jesus Christ to come into your life and help you learn how to have a personal relationship with Him.

Need to know more? Go here.

If you do or are having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I encourage you dear Gentle Reader to get to know God more through His word and through fellowship with other members of the body of Christ.

Why you may ask?

Don’t wait to late to make time to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If you don’t know Him, I invite you to get to know Him now, and if you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Saviour and want to deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ, I share with you to don’t be like the foolish virgins who let the oil in their lamp go out and went out to buy more, missing the arrival of the bridegroom.

Matthew 25: 1-13

Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Preparing for Christ’s return. Photo Credit: Unknown

Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming;go out to meet him!’

Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’

But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Heavenly Father, I pray with this hurricane season and in all season of our life, we are reminded to always be prepared for Your return. We may not know the hour or the time or the date of Your return, but let it give us reason to be strong and vigilant to the day You come back.

I pray that our lives will bear testament to You, Lord, and that rather than fall asleep or let our faith slide to the wayside, we live each day, as if that is the day, You will return or we come home to You Lord. No one knows what happens today, tomorrow or ever and I pray we keep strong in You, keep faith in you and be like the wise virgins…every prepared in Your word and Your way.

How prepare are you if Jesus Christ was to appear without warning?

Will your life bear testament to Jesus Christ or will He catch you unprepared like the foolish virgins?

Take the time today to start a fruitful habit so in the time and hour that our Heavenly Father returns, whenever that is, you will not be caught unprepared.

Check your Heavenly Kit and put those items to use. Read your bible, seek God in prayer each day and it helps to have fellowship with your fellow brothers and sisters when you can.

Don’t be caught without your Heavenly Kit that God has provided to prepare you to share His word and for the glorious day when Jesus Christ, one day returns.