When disaster strikes are you prepared? Do you have an emergency plan on what to do just in case? I mean who really prepares for this stuff, right? The majority of us either don’t have the time to prepare for anything, or just don’t want to think about something bad is going to happen so we ignore it. We don’t prepare.
I was visiting a sick relative last week and during our stay in the hotel we got a notice that there was going to be a fire drill that’s going to take place the next day. It doesn’t tell us the time except that it was only going to take five minutes. I assumed that they were going to go room by room and test the fire alarm that way. So, I waited all morning for a knock at the door. But instead, some time in the middle of the afternoon as I was practicing my guitar lesson, I heard a man’s voice come on the intercom speaker. He says that the fire alarm drill is about to take place and to ignore it. I got up thinking this is going to be noisy and proceeded to walk towards the balcony. I heard a long low sound going off as I exited to the balcony. I continued for a few more minutes in the balcony and waited it out some more. Then I thought I think that was it and went back in the room. All was silent so I resumed practicing my guitar. I was there maybe five minutes or so concentrating on my lesson when all of a sudden a woman’s voice comes on the speaker and says something like, “Ladies and gentlemen there has been a report of fire in the building. Please leave immediately. Do not take the elevator. Proceed to the stairwell.” Then it repeated the same announcement over and over again: “There is fire in the building…please take to the stairs… immediately….” Then the whole building was flashing white lights and the fire alarm going off in high volume in every room and hallway. I hesitated for a moment. I thought, “Is this the drill they’re talking about or is this for real?” Then I thought again, “What if it is for real?” I stood up and put my guitar on the bed. I looked around and thought of what I was leaving behind. I thought is it worth pausing and taking anything with me beside my purse and the key to the room? I was all dressed up and had my shoes on and didn’t need to do anything else except leave. I saw my guitar lying on the bed and I thought I can replace that. Then I looked again around me and thought nothing here is too important to burden myself with. I must go now. The sound was so loud and the flashing lights were going off everywhere that it really scared me to go immediately. I walked towards the exit that my husband had pointed out to me on our first day here. He said that was the shortest route. He always points out fire exits to me whenever we enter buildings and hotels or events. And he has told me, “The first one out, lives.” I thought on the way down five flights of stairs that even if it’s just a drill it’s better to go through it and know what to do the next time. Then I thought, I don’t care if it isn’t real because I’m not going to take chances. It’s better to look like a fool than find out too late it isn’t a drill. Long story short, it was just a drill. I don’t know what that long low sounding alarm was for, but it wasn’t the fire alarm I had thought. It sounded like an alarm to me. It must have been just an introduction to what was about to take place.
I tell you, I am glad I took that drill to heart because it’s prepared me now to know what to do the next time I’m in a building or in a hotel and the fire alarm goes off. I don’t have to panic because I’ve taken the exercise on what I needed to do.
It is always good to be prepared. It is the best way to be in life. You don’t go into a function or an event unprepared, especially when you’re expected to perform or to carry out a task. Imagine going to a formal wedding unprepared, dressed in jeans and t-shirt and your hair unkempt, when you’ve received the invitation months in advance. You’d be feeling really left out. People around you will probably stare at you. Even in school for an exam, you prepare for it so that you not only pass it but hopefully ace it.
I can’t help but think about the most important exam and event that is coming to us – more important than any wedding or exam or performance we will ever face with in this life – meeting God face to face. How much more then it is very important to be prepared for that? Are you prepared to meet Him? Can you see yourself being examined by Him and knowing what to say to Him and what to do? If not, there’s no more perfect time to prepare than right now. All you need to do is just say a simple prayer from your heart and ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and have mercy upon your soul. Ask Him to save you. Tell Him your desire to be saved and to be prepared to see His face someday. He is coming very soon. He has shown me that He is coming very soon. If you open up your heart to Him and say this prayer, He will prepare you. Even if you’ve said this prayer before and aren’t sure again if you’re saved or not, say this prayer again. Say it to Him again, ask Him again, until you come to know that He has saved you and prepared you. He will direct you to do what you need to do to be saved. He may direct you to repent again of your sins or to confess to Him something you haven’t confessed to Him before. Maybe He wants you to get baptized in His name, Jesus, or wait for Him to be empowered with His Holy Spirit by spending more time with Him.
Think about it, even if the rapture doesn’t take place any time soon, He could come for any of us any time. No one knows the hour or the day of their death – no one. It is best to be prepared at all times when it comes to meeting God.
God’s desire is to prepare His people and save them, so that they can be with Him forever where He is. There is really nothing much to do except talk to Him, so He can prepare you and your heart to meet Him face to face. He does the preparation, but you’ve got to let Him know you want His help. You can’t do it alone. There is no reason to wait to talk to Him. There is no other perfect time than now. He wants you to talk to Him. Please, don’t wait and hesitate, talk to Him now and be prepared.
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. {1 Corinthians 15:52}
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. {1 Thessalonians 4:16-18}
Prayer
Father, we hate disasters. We don’t want to think about having to prepare for something bad to happen. But I know that You are coming very soon and we will stand before Your throne and will give an account of ourselves before You. I am thankful that You are coming very soon because the thought of seeing you face to face is the greatest thing that will ever happen to a saint of God who has hoped and trusted in You. I thank You Father because You are faithful. I thank You Lord because You will never leave us nor forsake us.
Please Savior, help us to prepare ourselves with You today. Help us to make ourselves right with You. There are those of us who aren’t really sure what You feel and think of us, or what You will say to us when we see You face to face. For some of us the thought of it brings dread to our hearts. Please Father, help us then to talk to You about it. There is nothing to be afraid of, because You will help us to be prepared to meet You. Help us Lord Jesus to be opened and honest with You today regarding our desires to be saved forever. I pray, Father, in Your most wonderful and precious name, Jesus. Thank You, Father. Amen.
