At the ready

So roll up your sleeves, get your head in the game, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” (I Peter 1:13)

Be Ready! This might be the words some are holding onto this year, having endured much in the past year that almost did them in, but hopeful for great things in the new year. What does a state of readiness look like? In the military, when we were told to be ready, it meant rucksack and duffle packed, all the supplies we'd need at the ready, and our schedules so flexible we could leave at a moment's notice. In the medical profession, when were put on standby, it required us to be able to respond within thirty minutes of notification we were needed. Readiness declares there has been preparation and now we wait!

The past year may have been tough, but now you wait! Probably one of the hardest things to do when we are wafting is to actually do it with grace and uninterrupted connection. It is easy to get complacent when our answer doesn't immediately come - when our 'marching orders' aren't clear, and our heart desire is to 'just get on with it'. Complacency might interrupt our communication with the one we are waiting upon, right? When we were 'at the read' for orders to come down in the military, or on call to respond should emergencies require medical response, it was difficult to endure that 'waiting' and to maintain 'connection' with those we were waiting to hear from in order to respond as we should.

We remained in the area, kept cell phone or pager charged and on, and we had everything we needed for the 'next move' at our disposal. Maybe God has been preparing you, putting you 'at the ready' with everything you require for this next chapter of your life, and now you wait. Don't lose heart - God puts us 'at the ready' because he knows we are prepared. Don't break that connection with him. His next move in your life is coming - remain ready, connected, and responsive. Remember, it isn't our timing that moves us forward, but his. Just sayin!

Blessed beyond measure

No eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard and it has never occurred to the human heart all the things God prepared for those who love Him. God has shown us these profound and startling realities through His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep mysteries of God. Who can see into a man’s heart and know his thoughts? Only the spirit that dwells within the man. In the same way, the thoughts of God are known only by His Spirit. You must know that we have not received the spirit of this rebellious and broken world but the Spirit that comes from God, so that we may experience and comprehend the gifts that come from God. (I Corinthians 2:9-12) 

All manner of "things" God has prepared for our enjoyment surround us. ALL specifically placed in our life for our enjoyment - and for our growth!  Why do I think all things placed in our life are for our growth?  Have you tried to be mature and responsible for the many blessings you have received and observed how ridiculously hard it can be to "handle" what life throws your way at times?  We may not think of the "things" God places in our lives as being those things he has prepared for our growth and development, but even the simplest of God's blessings has a profound impact in the life of the one who will learn to look for the blessing "inside" his blessing!

The human heart is incapable of fully knowing (recognizing) and understanding (having all the "background" information) all the blessings God has prepared in our lives.  If we were to take up a journal and pen, we'd soon fill the pages with notes accounting for all manner of blessing.  As we'd begin that process, we'd begin to discover this blessing opened the door for that one, then another came along on its heels, until the list just mushroomed - because God's blessings are limitless and his care over our lives is without measure!  Yet, God wants us to come into an appreciation of the blessings and gifts he has placed into our lives - so he sends his Spirit to dwell within us to show us those deep mysteries of his blessing and goodness.  Why?  God wants us to experience AND comprehend the gifts that come from him. He wants us to enter into them, but also to see the ways they actually help us to grow and mature in his grace, love, and mercy.

Consider all those things God has prepared for each of us.  In the most literal sense, preparation involves this sense of pre-planning.  There is some thought which goes into the process that considers the detail necessary to ensure the "thing prepared" is specifically orchestrated for the one it is prepared to bless.  God doesn't just go to the pantry, pull out a 'canned blessing' and send it our way!  He has laid up those blessings way in advance, preparing even the "order" in which we will receive them into our lives.  Preparation requires some "readying" of the subject who will receive and the object which will be received. There is a process of preparation which is underway right now for the next thing God has "readied" for our lives.

The most amazing part of the preparation God is doing in our lives is that we are not even aware of the groundwork being laid to prepare the way for the next thing he has for us! Most of us don't understand the weather, but we learn to read the signs of the weather.  If the wind begins to pick up, we know we may realize a little cooling or even the entry of some clouds along with those winds.  We might dress a little differently, making "preparation" for the possibility of a change in weather which could bring rain, snow, or something in between.  We pick up a sweater, maybe an umbrella, and make our way to the office as usual. God doesn't always give us clarity of what he is doing, does he?  Sometimes his movement in our lives is kind of like that beginning of the weather change - there is a hint things are about to be different (changed), but we don't really know what that entails or how much change will be coming our way.  We prepare what we are able to prepare, in ways we can understand with our minds and appreciate with our hearts. The rest is up to him!

Even times where it appears there is no sign of growth, preparation is underway.  Theroux said, "Winter is a season of recovery and preparation."  Those times when we don't see the preparation occurring may actually be times when God is laying the groundwork - allowing recovery to occur so we are ready for the next thing he has prepared which our heart and mind will find challenge and discovery within.  Discovery of God's heart isn't by chance - it is because there is preparation!  In finding his heart, we might just discover the blessing he has prepared!  Just sayin!

Until then...

Thomas Fuller reminds us, "In fair weather prepare for foul." We prepare for a life with Christ in eternity by living a life close to him today. We are preparing for whatever may come our way. In living close to Christ today, we are ensuring whatever storm or battle comes next, we are prepared to face it with his assistance. The closeness we develop with Jesus today is something we can count on to be our firm foundation into every tomorrow. 

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)

Way too often we evaluate others by what we observe on the surface, not really knowing what has been going on inside of their hearts and minds. We 'see' one thing but have no idea what preparation has been going on deep beneath the surface. I have come to realize the outward change we might expect to see in someone isn't always the first thing we will observe, though. The inward has to change, then the outward begins to follow suit. 

The new comes as a result of Christ's work IN us, not so much his work ON us. The moment we realize that God is at work IN an individual, we are able to encourage them to continue the work of 'preparing' for whatever comes next in their lives. Newness has come, but the old is often shed slower than we might like. God is not disappointed by the speed at which we allow the outward change - he is still at work drawing our hearts and minds close to him. 

Allow the work of today to prepare you for tomorrow. Invite the presence of God and the insight of his Word to invade every space of your new life in Christ - making ALL things new by his touch. The outward will eventually follow the inward work - we must be patient with ourselves and others until it does. Remember, the battle we face tomorrow is won by drawing closer to Jesus today. Just sayin!

Transplanted

But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. (Psalm 92:12-14)

Have you ever transplanted something, only to have it look kind of droopy and on the verge of death afterwards? I know the plant goes through a bit of 'shock' with its roots being exposed, kind of like us when God takes us from one place of comfort in our walk with him and begins to move us onto 'bigger and better' things with him. God never disturbs our 'comfort' at one level of growth unless he has plans for us to grow bigger by moving us into a different 'pot' in life. 

I live in the Arizona desert and know that palm trees seem to do very well here. They aren't many 'native' to this area - only the fan palm found in the Kofa National Wildlife Preserve near Yuma. There are other varieties found here, though. Date, Queen, Mexican Blue, Areca, and other types of palms growing here, but none of them are native to this area. They had to be transplanted from their 'natural' growth zone into this one. Most of them grow quite well here. Why? They become accustomed to the soil, heat, winds, and lack of rains we have here. You won't find coconuts here, though. Why? They won't adapt to this climate or this soil.

We might not be accustomed to the new soil God has planted us into today, but rest assured that he doesn't move us into places where he knows we will not thrive. We will 'adapt' to the 'soil' he has prepared for us in whatever the next 'transplant' will be for us. We can be certain that he will 'tend' the soil, provide the right 'climate' and create the right 'growth opportunities' for us wherever he places us. It is only when we put our roots down in the places he hasn't prepared for us that we have a hard time 'adapting' and 'flourishing'. Just sayin!

More than a Girl Scout motto

Prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. (I Peter 1:13-15)

Have you ever sat down, knowing you were about to face a tougher than usual circumstance, just preparing your heart and mind for what is about to happen? If we did this before we took any actions in life, I wonder how much of a difference it would actually make? I know we couldn't just take five before everything we are about to do, but if we prepare our hearts and minds first thing in the day, I wonder if our days would be a little less 'self-controlled' and a little more 'Spirit-controlled'?

Slipping back is easy - actually comprehending the triggers that cause us to slip back is a bit harder. This is where our time with Jesus is so important. We don't always have 'perfect sight' when it comes to the myriad of decisions we are going to make each day, but God does! So, isn't it a bit foolish of us to just march into our day without taking any time out to actually prepare for what lies ahead? 

Two things really 'trigger' grumpiness in me: being tired and hungry. Get food onboard and my attitude brightens. Get the proper amount of rest so my body can be refreshed and I am ready for the day. Eliminate the triggers and the 'slipping' isn't going to occur as easily. These are two very simplified triggers that I mention, but you get the idea. When it comes to the bigger ones, such as what makes me respond in anger, I might just need a little insight outside of my own observations!

I consult with God, of course, but I also listen to what others are telling me. They see my behavior, and observe what leads up to it, so their feedback is critical to me. We may not know what causes us to 'slip back' or 'slip up', but when we have God's perspective, we can formulate a plan - being prepared for the moment that will come. When we have the feedback of faithful friends in this walk, we can take that to God and ask him for his help with what it is they have observed. If we want to walk 'holy' as God is holy, we need to prepare our hearts and minds for the steps we are about to take each and every day. Just sayin!

Put your best foot forward

And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (Ephesians 6:12-13)

It comes as no surprise to me that the majority of the time we try to do things on our own, utilizing our own resources, and then wonder why the outcome didn't go as planned. We are kind of hard-headed at times, believing we have all the resources we need, finding we might not be as well-equipped as we thought we were. The truth is we DO have all the resources we need right there at our disposal, but we oftentimes don't equip ourselves with them. We have to 'take' what God has prepared for us and apply those resources within our lives. Prayer is a resource - do we pray before we begin? The Holy Spirit is a resource - do we listen for his prompts as we set out on the course? The Word of God is a resource - do we explore the examples set forth and the 'rules' that might apply to our circumstances? If we have the resources and then neglect to use them, we only have ourselves to blame when we fail to meet the objective.

Be prepared - have you heard me say that a few times in the past couple of weeks? I have learned the hard way that ill-prepared plans are costly. The time we take to be well-prepared is something we will never regret. It is in the preparation that we tap into the help we need. As I am learning some woodworking skills in my woodworking class, I have been watching tons of videos and reading lots of articles/books on the subject I am trying to grasp. I just finished one on how to do a good 'glue-up' of materials - when is it too many boards to piece together, what pressure is required to get a solid connection without 'over-squeezing' those boards, and what clamps are the best for the type of project I am attempting. Who knew there was so much to learn about putting glue between two boards? Do you know how most of these experienced woodworkers discovered these facts? They learned through trial and error - costly mistakes resulting in bowed materials, insufficient glue remaining on the surface, or uneven boards requiring the removal of too much material after the glue-up. 

What can we learn from God ahead of time - before the battle is hot and heavy? If we just trust him to 'get us through', but don't prepare our minds, hearts, and even our bodies ahead of time, we might just find ourselves paying the cost of a poorly implemented 'plan'. Our minds need to be in the right mindset before we 'handle' the day ahead. How do we get the right mindset? We ask God to adjust our attitude - in other words, he is given permission to 'change the inclination' of our actions. We all have certain 'inclinations' before we tackle anything that is frequently based upon 'preferences' or 'likes'. If we like to do something, it is easier for us to embrace the task. If we have an aversion toward the task, we will drag our feet and hate every step we have to make. Seeking God's help ahead of time in adjusting our attitude toward what it is we must undertake, battle, or 'go through' might just be the best 'first step' we can take. Just sayin!

Better duck now

A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks; a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered. (Proverbs 22:3)

Some might equate 'prudent' to being "street-wise". The individual who is prudent has learned who and what can be trusted, when each needs to be put to practical use, and what can be counted on to deliver the best results. There is another definition of the prudent man or woman: thrifty or frugal. I guess this might be why the word is used in this passage - it is kind of like a prudent person who is streetwise knows when to expend their energies and when to let things go because the energies expended will just be way too much! A simpleton is just an ignorant, silly or foolish person; what some may call a numskull. It really points out the way the simpleton works - with his or her brain asleep! This is a direct contrast to how the prudent operates - for the prudent is always on alert. There is something quite dangerous about letting one's mind be lulled into a place of laziness or slumber. There are times we need to "shut off" for a while, but when it becomes a way of life for us, we open ourselves up to every whim of silliness around us! Two contrasts - one who exercises attentiveness to their ways and another who just flies by the seat of their pants. The difference - one will actually be able to duck quick enough to avoid disaster (natural, spiritual, or emotional)! The other will simply be hit head-on. Perhaps even knocked out by the blows.

In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them. (vs. 5) I like to take hikes up in the high country. Most trails are marked with a difficulty level, so when engaging in the hike one knows ahead of time what type of climb might be encountered. Sometimes there are no markings, so I take a trail in faith. I kind of think life is like that a little - sometimes we get the well-marked trail which gives us plenty of warning about the amount of effort which will be required of us to traverse from one point to another; other times we get the trails which have no markings, give us no warning of their dangers, and which present some unknown hazards to the one on the journey. The simpleton plods ahead; the prudent examines the path as it is presented. The simpleton takes the steps which will do nothing more than tire and present unwanted "slipping" points. The prudent will examine the course and see the shortest distance may not be the best for preserving strength, stamina, and avoiding injury. 

We are afforded many paths in life - we can face them as the simpleton or the prudent. The choice is ours. Not every path will be well-marked, giving us every chance to prepare for it, or avoid it completely. I think God might just do this on purpose, for if we knew the end from the beginning, let alone the way we'd have to traverse to get there, we probably would pull back and declare the paths presented just way too hard for our travels! Prepare for the path ahead and the pitfalls of the path will be more evident. Plod ahead without any preparation or consideration and you could just be putting yourself in danger. Not every path will be 'hazard-free', so when we are alert, prepared, and consistently focused, we are likely to avoid those 'hazards' that pop up out of nowhere. Once we are well on our way down the path, it is too late to consider our commitment to it! Just sayin!

The hard soil of life

Have you ever grown weary in all the 'preparation' phase of something you are undertaking? I know I have lots and lots of steps to getting a wood project from start to finish and sometimes I just want to get to the final step so I can just stand back and admire the work. Imagine being a young woman, orphaned as a young child, taken in by your cousin to be reared after your parents' death. You find yourself living in a strange land as a foreigner to the region, your family has been totally taken from you, and now you find yourself living in a "single parent" home, but not really your parent. Not the life every young girl dreams of, huh? Then one day, a decree requires you to leave the comfort of the only "home" you really ever knew. Taken from your place of 'family' comfort, you are ushered into a great harem of others being prepared for the pleasure of the king of the land - not exactly the dream job. Months of day after day preparation will be required, but in the end, your very life will totally rotate around the king's command. This is where Esther is as she considers her future. Esther finds herself alone, at the mercy of the head of the king's harem, and totally uncertain of her future. We may not like the long preparation phase of our life right now, but imagine what God may have in store for you as the preparation draws to a close!

When it was Esther's turn to go to the king (Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had adopted her as his daughter), she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch in charge of the harem, had recommended. Esther, just as she was, won the admiration of everyone who saw her. (Esther 2:15 MSG)

Hegai, the one the king had placed in charge of "readying" his harem, sees something of supreme "worth" in Esther - something catches his eye, captures his attention, and creates an excitement within because of the potential he sees in Esther. He spends one entire year preparing her for the moment of her introduction - the moment of her unveiling. Six months of myrrh, followed by six months of perfumes and cosmetics. The thing that caught my eye was the preparation with myrrh - for six months! Have you ever seen myrrh? It comes from a tree that is thorny and grows in the dry, stony soil of the Middle East. The first part of her preparation is taken from a tree of thorns! Do you know how myrrh is formed? From the tree being pierced! As the penetration of the bark occurs, the sapwood is allowed to "bleed". The thing which emerges is what we have come to know as myrrh - the very "life-blood" of the tree. In Eastern medicine, myrrh is considered a "blood-moving" treatment for many. It is often used to heal the conditions of what is referred to as "stagnancy" in the blood. In our Western medicine, we find myrrh in simple things like toothpaste, mouthwash, and some balms for healing our many "boo-boos" we acquire in life. It has an "analgesic" effect - helping to deal with the pain, while speeding the healing.

Esther is treated with myrrh for six months. She has a 'pain' all her own that may have been recognized by Hegai as he begins this preparation work in her life. She has been through her own places of "hard, rocky soil" - losing her parents, being raised in a single-parent home, taken into captivity in a foreign land, and now she is being prepared for some purpose she just does not fully realize. Imagine the condition of her heart, mind, and emotions. She is but a teenager - alone, frightened, taken into the harem of a foreign king, and outside of the normal customs of her upbringing. Another round of "hard soil"! Yet, it was from the "richness" of this hard soil in her life that she comes to be anointed for service! We often wonder about the course God allows in getting us to the place where he wants us, don't we? It may seem like a whole lot of "hard, rocky soil", right? Yet, in the midst of the rocks grows a tree (the cross)! Complete with thorns of its own (Christ's crown). From the life-blood of this tree, we are anointed! It is this anointing, repeated over and over again, that totally prepares us for service to the king!

It is never an easy process to be in the place of "preparation", but when the unveiling comes, what a glorious site to behold! From the thorns and hard soil richness has come - from the anointing something beautiful is produced within us. The life-blood of the tree becomes the very thing which heals and rejuvenates us! A thing of pleasure just for God's enjoyment! We don't like the 'hard places' of our lives, but it is in the hard place where God begins the anointing preparation. Maybe we are feeling like our lives are anointed with myrrh right now - take heart - the life-blood of Christ is just beginning to flow through you like it never has before! Just sayin!

Moments come, moments go

Moments come and moments go - we walk in and out of harm's way - moments of safety and moments of harm. What we do to prepare before the moment comes determines how we will face the moment when it does. We desire protection, but do you know what brings protection into our lives quicker than anything else? Being prepared! When I go out into the desert, I take water - more than I will likely need, but sufficient to be prepared for the extreme heat. When I take a hot pan from the oven, I reach for the pot holders - I know the heat will burn me, so I 'insulate' against it. When I get into the car, I buckle up - preparing for the worst, but trusting I will not need their 'tug' of safety. Moments come and moments go - what we do with this moment today may be what helps us prepare for the moments that are about to come.

Thank you! Everything in me says “Thank you!” Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: “Thank you!” Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in;
you made my life large with strength. (Psalm 138:1-3)

I take water into the desert - because nothing can sap me of my energies and sound thinking quicker than heat dehydrating my body. We need living water to reinfuse our souls and spirits equally as much, if not more than we need that water for our bodies. We may not even notice how the moments of life have turned from 'tolerable' to 'too hot for comfort'. The heat is turned up slowly and slowly, our spirits and souls taking the toll because we have not prepared to drink deeply of the living water that can refresh both. Christ is that living water - we need to drink him in daily - but we also need to be prepared to drink him in the 'in-between' moments when we just need to 'replenish' and 'refresh' our spirits. 

I anticipate the heat - knowing full well it will bring harm into my life if there is nothing to insulate me from the scorching effects it produces. For us to be burned, we have to be close enough to the source of the heat to actually begin to feel it. Sometimes we need to be close to the heat - it is where we are supposed to be - in order to 'take from the heat' that which does not belong in it. When the pie crust is lightly brown I want to remove it from the heat of the oven. It doesn't belong there now and I need to remove it from the ever increasing scorch of the heat produced within that oven. There are moments in life when we are called upon to reach out a hand to rescue from the fire those who have no way of escape without our help. Be prepared to insulate yourself from the extreme heat by taking time now to ensure all you need as a defense against that heat is in place in your life.

I buckle up - hoping I will never need to be saved by the application of those belts against my body, but knowing there will come times when they will hold me tightly when I need it most. Seat belts aren't restrictive - they enhance the protection we receive when we need it most. God often tugs at our hearts, not in a restrictive way, but at moments when a 'collision' is likely to take us out. That 'restrictive' tug is there because God has prepared a way of escape when we need it most. The 'belt' of God's protection isn't hard to understand - it is the belt of truth - truth woven into every fiber of our being ahead of time - as prepared warriors ready for the moment when the attack will come. We defend because we are prepared - we are alerted to the attack by the tug upon our hearts.

Moments come and moments go - be prepared for them when they do! Just sayin!

Be prepared

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (Ephesians 6:13-18 MSG)

Isn't "be prepared" the motto of scouts everywhere? The concept of "be prepared" as described by the scouting founder, Robert Baden-Powell, indicates a "readiness" of both mind and body to do anything you are called upon to do. I'd like to add that Paul's advice to us in this passage goes beyond mind and body to spirit, as well. God may call upon us to have a "readiness" to respond as we are called to respond - what we do today to "prepare" may make all the difference in how we will respond tomorrow!

Prepared to stand strong when the going gets rougher than you may have imagined possible.

Prepared to speak truth when everyone else seems to have forgotten the importance of it.

Prepared to stand for what is right in the midst of the masses standing for very little at all.

Prepared to be the embodiment of peace when everything around you seems to cry out in chaos and criticism.

Prepared to hold onto truth and allow it to be the foundation when you world is rocking under your feet.

Prepared to show forth light when darkness invades more than the night hours.

Prepared to take the Word of God and use it not only in your life, but to be able to speak it forth appropriately, as the time is right.

Prepared to engage in a warfare far harder than any military conflict being fought - the one that engages spiritual forces of darkness we cannot see, but only sense the presence of around us.

Prepared to lift high the needs of our brothers and sisters, not allowing even one of them to stumble and fall.

Prepared - not by accident - but on purpose. Preparation is something that comes with repeated revisits of the topic we seek to prepare for time and time again. It isn't a casual thing - but something that requires committed focus. There is no hole too deep we cannot extend a hand to draw a brother from within its confines. There is no shell too strong we cannot uncover the hidden beauty of the sister hidden deep within. There is no fear too great we cannot speak hope into the vastness of its cavernous expanse. Be prepared - God has a purpose for your day - don't waste that moment! Just sayin!

You ready?

As another wave of storms swept through the valley over the past three days, they came with quite strong winds and what some call "micro-bursts" of storm activity.  These micro-bursts have the capacity to dump a lot of rain at once in seemingly one spot, combined with high winds which do significant damage.  Block walls were leveled, power poles snapped in two, and trees uprooted.  It seems like the storms lately have become more and more "aggressive", taking their toll on the neighborhoods where they hit the most.  It also seems like there are areas of our large metropolis where these storms hit with such frequency that people are constantly "bouncing back" from them.  Some areas were hit with nearly three-quarters of an inch of rain, while others enjoyed a steady rain most would consider nothing more than sprinkles.  Close to 30,000 customers were without electrical power for over one day.  At first this doesn't seem to significant in the face of things like Hurricane Katrina or the raving effect of tornadoes in the Midwest, but Arizonans just don't expect the "worst". They don't plan for it, nor do many of them actually know what to do when the "worst" actually does come.  I guess we all have a tendency to live life like this on occasion - not really believing the "worst" may happen, so failing to be in a place of readiness should it happen.

Those who obey the Lord are daily in his care, and what he has given them will be theirs forever.  They won’t be in trouble when times are bad, and they will have plenty when food is scarce.  (Psalm 37:18-19 CEV)

There is a way to live life prepared for any and all inevitabilities - those we see and don't see coming.  The weather forecasters predicted three days of rain - some heavy and some just enough to wet the parched earth.  They revealed the storms left great flooding and mudslides in their path as they made their way through neighboring cities in a neighboring state, but did their predictions change the response of those in their path?  If you looked at those who were affected by the storms in the metropolis in which I live, I'd have to say "no". The way they were living just before the storms began to hit didn't really change - there was no sense of preparation or even any belief they'd need to prepare.  This is how it is with many people in this day and age - living as though preparation was not necessary - in a physical, financial, and spiritual sense!

That place of preparation is found not in a "place" as much as in a "person" - Christ.  As my pastor puts it, we learn to live "prepared" lives when we place our faith, hope, and trust solidly in Christ and nothing else.  Those who obey the Lord are daily in his care...  This says it all - there is no better place of "preparedness" than to be daily in the care of Jesus.  It doesn't mean we don't save our finances so we are prepared when a need hits us such as an unexpected medical bill or car repair.  It also doesn't mean we don't "do" anything with the knowledge we possess about the grace and love of God.  We are called to live prepared lives and that means we make Christ central in our physical, financial, relational, and spiritual lives.  In all areas, he is central.  In all areas, we then stand prepared.

What does "fire insurance" do for us?  It helps us rebuild our houses if there is a disaster which results in fire damage to our homes, right?  It is there for the "what if" of life.  In most cases, people just rest a little easier because they have it, not ever expecting to actually use it. The same might be said of "flood insurance" and "life insurance".  We don't expect to use it, but we have it for the "just in case" type of occurrence.  With the exception of life coming to an end for all of us, most of our other types of insurance are not typically collected upon - we pay the premiums faithfully and then we never make a claim.  We did get peace of mind by having them for the "just in case", but we never really actually needed them.

I wonder how many people go through life treating their relationship with Jesus as though it were "fire insurance" - there to keep us out of hell, but not really laying "claim" to all this relationship means.  My father was a life insurance agent with a large insurance firm for years.  He was a certified life underwriter - he wrote policies designed to insure lives.  Those policies didn't change the outcome of death to those who bought them - they just made it a little easier for those left behind to go on without that person in their lives.  They provided some financial benefit to the survivors.  The life insurance didn't benefit the one whose life was covered, but those who would come after them.

I wonder if this is how Jesus expects us to treat the "life insurance" his grace provides in our lives - by helping others who come after us to meet, know, and follow him.  Grace isn't an "insurance policy" - it is a means by which we live our lives to the fullest and then pass that blessing onto others.  Yes, grace provides a means by which we escape the separation from God which sin ultimately maintains.  Yes, grace provides us with access to the many blessings of God.  Yes, grace is a kind of "insurance" against our continued separation from God - because it not only covered our past sins, but those we commit today and into the future.  But...grace isn't just "insurance" - it is a means to live our lives to the fullest, prepared to face each challenge, and igniting a passion within us which in turn helps ignite the spark of faith in others which will ignite their own passion for serving Jesus.

We don't prepare for the inevitabilities in life through "buying insurance" - we prepare for them by actually "preparing".  In other words, we buy the flashlights, batteries, and generator to prepare for times when electrical power may not be available.  We aren't doomsday prep kind of people, but we live prepared lives.  This carries from our physical lives into every realm of our walk - finances, relationships, and even into our spiritual lives. We need to learn to live prepared!  Just sayin!