Prepared and ready . . .

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Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.(Luke 12:35-36)

So many come dressed up on the outside. So many come in fancy cars and wearing nice clothes and carrying a nice Bible to church. That's all well and good and praise God that folks come and look ready for church service.

But are we ready for Christ's service?

Not only will Jesus return when we least expect, but we must be prepared to work for Him at all times as well. We must be studying and making proper application from the Word of God to our lives so we are prepared when He calls.(2 Timothy 2:15) Though we all may be serving the Lord and His Church in one capacity or another, we do not know when He may decide to pick us for yet another task. Do we not want to be ready to answer? Will we force the Lord to overlook us for another who has been diligent? Have we been too busy to be prepared?

Origen once said in a sermon that many "who have come to church are paying no attention. You can take an interest in tales that have become worn out through repetition, but you turn your backs on God's Word and the reading of Holy Scripture." Let that not be said of us.