Ready?

"Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour" (Matthew 25:13, NASB).

On Saturday evening, we had just finished dinner with friends when we received a phone call from our security company informing us that our home fire alarm was ringing. While the fire department was being notified, we quickly made our way toward the house. On the way, I was praying and trying to decide what to pull from the house, all while staying calm and keeping things in perspective. There was an overwhelming peace that if the house was burning, we were all safe. There was also the thing that I wish I had done, to back up my computer data. I paid for online backup for the year, yet never activated the service, so my computer was at the top of my list of things to grab. Thank you Lord that the house was fine. We think lightening struck the rod or that something was shaken when our neighbor's huge tree fell during the storm. It was a good wake-up call to once again ask myself, "Am I ready?"

Jaye Martin

Just like the passage about the 10 young women in Matthew 25, we are to be ready. We never know when the Lord is coming or when a crisis will happen. Are we ready? Have we prepared for physical disasters (like knowing all your work could be lost on a computer) but more importantly, are we ready spiritually? Are we ready to meet the Lord? Who else do we need to tell about the Lord?

Today, there are a few things on my to-do list including backing up my computer data but also asking the Lord who else needs to hear the good news from me. Lord, make me ready physically and spiritually!

Sharing God's Heart: Hope

"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to anyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence" (1 Peter 3:15, NASB).

Ready. I remember sitting at a table in a high school photojournalism class when a friend asked me a genuine question about my faith in Christ. I froze for a second. My face flushed red. It was an unexpected question, but I was glad she asked it. We can rest assured that God will give us the words to say at the right time. We can pray and prepare now for the next time someone asks about our trust in Him.

Account for the hope that is in you. What has God done in your life? When did you believe in Jesus and His message? In case you are having trouble putting your faith into words, it may help to reflect on your testimony, remember how you came to know Christ, search the Bible and ask God questions (your questions aren't too tough for Him). The Apologetics Bible and HeartCall resources have helped me personally in this area. The core elements of HeartCall are:

• Hope - God has a plan for you
• Believe - God sent Jesus to die on the cross for you
• Turn - Turn to God and away from sin
• Call - Call on God to be your Lord and Savior

Gentleness and reverence. The big idea that I see from that part of the verse is to treat others with consideration and respect as we share. We don't know everything about them, and they are God's creation. In a way, we have been in the same shoes they have - we all have done things against God, and we all need Him.

Father God, You have made such a difference in our lives. Prepare our hearts and give us the words to say when someone asks why we trust in You. Amen.

Study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo from a HeartCall workshop.