Have You Ever Worn This Article Of Clothing?

Luke 12:35-40 - "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. 36 "Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. 37 "Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes;…

38 " Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.… 40 "You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect."  NASU 

• Jesus Commands Us To Be Ready 

In this parable, I see Jesus as the quarterback in a neighborhood game of football. He is in the center of the huddle, and He is getting ready to call the play, but before He does, He tells everyone,

"Listen, everyone, be ready. On the 3rd hut, you hike the ball, and I am going to drop back and hit the open receiver and one of you guys better be open."
 
Every kid who has ever played pickup neighborhood football is ready. We are looking at who is going to be covering us as we walk to the line of scrimmage. We know the mission. Be ready and get open.
 
If you are a Christian, you know your mission. Be ready and stay that way until you here the knock on the door from our Master. 

• But What Just Happened? 

I would love to be able to say that from the time we broke out of that huddle until the play was over there were no distractions but that just isn't the case. That is not the way life works.
 
Sometimes your dog sees you out on the field and he does what he always does he runs out to you. He wants you to play with him. He wants you to throw him a ball or a stick.

You are trying to get him off the field. The center hikes the ball and you are not ready. The quarterback sees you are not ready. You have become distracted.
 
One of the other receivers is walking up to the line and his sibling yells at him and says, mom says it is time to come home for dinner. He is arguing with his brother that he can't come home right now, and the center hikes the ball.

He is starting to run but the defense has now chased the quarterback out of position. You were not ready because you were arguing with your sibling.
 
There are 100 other scenarios that we have probably all lived through. Why is it so easy to be distracted? Why is it so hard to Be Ready and stay that way? 

• What Has Happened To You? 

What distraction has happened in your life that has caused you to lose focus? You are not ready at this moment for Jesus' return. You or a family member has suffered a health issue or set back.
 
You have been betrayed by a Christian brother or sister, and you have been left wondering is this all worth it? 
 
Everywhere you look all you see are evil deeds and evil people doing some of the most heinous crimes imaginable. You start to question yourself. 

Is Jesus ever going to return?

Why it has been almost 2,000 years. He has missed numerous great chances to come back and put an end to all the wickedness in the world. If He were coming, He should have been here by now you might be thinking.
 
What really has happened?

You are not wearing the one article of clothing you should be wearing. The Lord said, "Be dressed in readiness,…"
 
If you watch any war movies or police shows they all employee something known as "diversionary tactics" when they are going in for a big attack or bust. They use this because they are so successful in helping the military or police force to accomplish their mission.
 
Well, guess what? The devil uses the same tactic to distract us from our mission.

What is our mission once again? Be Ready For The Master's Return! 

• It Is Time To Get Dressed 

If you are not dressed in readiness, I would highly recommend that you prepare yourself for your mission. Be Dressed in Readiness!
 
Think About These:
 
Today's preparation determines tomorrow's achievement.
 
Get ready for eternity. You are going to spend a lot of time there.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word