Tuesday, October 21, 2014

21 Oct 2014 - be prepared


“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.

Are we ready? The LORD may seem distant to us at times. He may seem like he is away celebrating in some other place far from us. At such times it is easy to start doing our own thing. We not only neglect the armor of God we don't even take the time to cover our loins.

What does it mean to gird our loins?

So stand fast with your loins girded in truth (cf. Eph. 6:14)

Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly, and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Pet. 1:13).

Girding our loins means to be grounded in the truth. We must constantly cover ourselves with this truth as the most basic protection we have against the culture. We must gird our loins whether the master is near or whether he is at a party far away. It is the prerequisite to rest of the armor of God. Without it we strike an indecent appearance, not suitable to venture forth from our homes.

And what does it mean to light our lamps?

It means that we must fulfill our call to be lights for the world. We must, once properly dressed, let this light shine before others, that they may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven (cf. Mat. 5:14-16). But for these lamps to burn we need the oil that the wise virgins remember and the foolish forget (cf. Mat. 25:1-13). What is this oil? It is the "oil of gladness" with which we are anointed (cf. Heb 1:9). It is the oil with which Samuel anoints David.  We read that he "took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward" (cf. 1 Sam. 16:13). This oil is the Holy Spirit.

When we have the Holy Spirit we are no longer "without hope and without God in the world."  We are no longer "like the rest of mankind, who have no hope" (cf. 1 The. 4:13). It is ultimately this hope which gives us the strength we need to be ready to meet the master when he returns. We have the fuel to burn brightly for God.

If the LORD is away until the second or the third watch we should not despair. Jesus doesn't leave us for long. If we listen we will hear him speaking of the peace for which we long. Let us listen to Jesus who "preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near".  Let us listen as "The Lord speaks of peace to his people." 

If our loins are girded in truth we will meet his kindness, for "Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss." We can take this to the bank. If he finds us ready he meets us with blessings far beyond what we deserve.  He "will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them."   Even at this moment,  Jesus is uniting us in truth and in the Holy Spirit.

I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD–for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.

We are called to be prepared. But we are given all we need to do so.

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