The ‘Are You Ready’ Checklist

In Revelation 12:1, the Apostle John writes that there appeared a great sign in heaven. One commentary describes the meaning of the word ‘sign’ as something which is seen: not a mere wonder, but something which has a meaning; it is not “a surprise ending with itself,” but a signal to arrest attention, and possessing significance; there is “an idea concealed behind it.”

There has lately been no small talk of such a sign foretold nearly 2000 years ago that is purportedly to come to pass sometime in September 2017. Using software called, ‘Stellarium’, some astronomy enthusiasts suggest that the positions of the moon, the sun, the stars and Jupiter, which they refer to as the king planet, would be in the exact positions that appeared to John as a great sign from heaven in Revelation 12:1-2. According to these people, on September 23, 2017 the moon will be at the “feet” of the constellation called Virgo, often represented by a woman, the sun near her shoulder, twelve stars will form her “garland or a crown” and Jupiter which has been moving around the “womb area of the woman” for the last nine months will exit at this time. What makes their discovery even more interesting is that this constellation arrangement is to happen on the biblical fall feast of, ‘Yom Teruah’ or ‘Feast of Trumpets’.

Now I unhesitatingly admit that I have no knowledge of astronomy and I do not believe in astrology. In fact I consider the latter satanic. I also acknowledge that I am not a student of Christian eschatology. What I believe I am however is one who earnestly desires to please God and what I intend through this writing is to appeal to each believing Christian, “Make ready the way of the Lord.” If the starry arrangement is what John called a “great sign in heaven” and is something that God has given as “a signal to arrest our attention”, then each of us would benefit immensely if we paid attention to it. If it is not a sign but plain end-time hype, we would still do well, if not better, to ensure that our ‘Are You Ready’ checklist is checked and in order.  

I am not going to use this writing to predict what is or is not likely to happen soon. My honest confession is, “I don’t know.” But what I earnestly hope is for each of us to remind ourselves of the importance of being ready by staying watchful and alert. I repeat what our Lord Jesus Himself said when He spoke of the coming of the end times. “What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’ ” (Mk. 13:37)

The question that begs answering is: “How can I be sure that I am ready?” This to me should be our main concern. In this essay, I attempt to list out some of the characteristics of readiness that we find in the Bible, the ultimate source of all truth; the only reliable plumb to gauge our choices and decisions.

1. The one who is ready must by necessity be born again (Jn. 3:3). Such a person would come to God in sincere repentance and asked the Lord Jesus to cleanse him of all sin by His precious blood that He shed on the cross.
   
   
2. The next characteristic of readiness is single-minded, undistracted, devotion to the Lord (1Cor. 7:35; 2Cor. 11:3). Such devotion fulfils the very first commandment of loving God with all our being (Mt.22:37-38). It recognises that the child of God cannot flirt with the world nor the things of the world (Jas. 4:4; 1Jn. 2:15). The lack of this distinctive attitude is what the glorified Saviour chided the Ephesian Church for (Rev. 2:4). It is the same thing He said in different words while He was on earth when He spoke of two masters (Mt. 6:24). The devoted heart will make it his ambition to please God (2Cor. 5:9).
   
   
3. The third characteristic of readiness is faith in God. While we all have a measure of faith, (for it is by faith in Jesus that we are saved and made righteous), it is imperative that our faith in the person of God grow deeper. We are told very emphatically that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). More than ever before, our faith needs to be anchored firmly in the inseparable, everlasting, boundless love of God. It needs to rest in His eternal, unfailing wisdom. It must rely heavily on His sovereign, mighty power. It takes comfort in His faithfulness. It rejoices in His care and goodness. The man of faith is so firmly anchored in the person of God that despite the fiercest storm he continues to persevere with steadfastness and patience (Col. 1:11) rejoicing in Him always (Php. 4:4) and giving thanks in every circumstance (1Thes. 5:18).
   
   
4. A fourth characteristic of readiness is fruit. If he has been faithful, such a person must see fruit in his life. If our repentance has been sincere, we must bear fruit (Mt. 3:8). If we are completely devoted to God and align all our decisions in keeping with that desire to please Him, we will bear fruit. The fruit of true faith is peace and rest in God (Php. 4:6-7; Psa. 46:10). Such fruit refuses thoughts of anxiousness and fear. I am convinced that if our lives do not bear, in some measure, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, we are deceiving ourselves. If Christ’s life is not increasingly showing forth in our attitude and behaviour—whether at home or work or even on a busy street—we can tom-tom all we want of the Lord’s return but it won’t guarantee that we are ready. Our lives, like a city set on a hill must show that it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27b).
    
   If the gentleness of Christ cannot be increasingly seen in me when I talk to my wife and children; if I cannot show patience when I am with difficult colleagues; if I cannot display the selfless attitude which was in Christ Jesus of looking out for the interests of others before I look at mine (Php. 2:4)—all of which incidentally are in keeping with the commandment to love another as we would ourselves—then like Paul said to the Corinthian Church, we are no more than a noisy gong. All my spiritual God-given gifts and my giving would profit me nothing (1Cor. 13:1-3). I believe that it is this outflow of Christ-likeness in our lives (if we are at it on a daily basis, 365 days a year) that shines like a light and affects all our service; and not the reverse. Like a jar of alabaster, the fragrance of Christ’s life permeates through all that we do. Let us therefore imitate the example of Christ of whom it is written—He taught as One having authority and not as the scribes (Mt. 8:28-29) because He first did the will of God (Mt. 8:24a; Mt. 5:19b, 20).

We need to be watchful and alert, recognizing that the time is near. In doing so, we need to ensure that we are not living a life of deception, fooling ourselves. The stakes are too high. We have much to gain by being faithful and much to lose if we live contrary to what God sees as “ready”. God is never fooled. His judgments are always righteous.

Listen to what Paul tells the Church at Corinth when he urged them to consider the building of their lives on the foundation which is Christ Jesus—if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire (1Cor. 3:12-15). May God grant to each one a heart of readiness that is ever alert and watchful as we wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.