Ready in season….
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
The Apostle Paul’s last words to Timothy contain great gems of wisdom, of a life lived for God in total service to His glory.
How much preparation do you put in when you go out on a special occasion? The preparation of what you will wear, maybe getting a haircut or hair treatment. Then, where to park and the quickest way to the venue, do you need money for parking? What about the traffic at that time? How long will it take to get there? Who else will be going? The list goes on…!
It seems at this time in our lives Helen and I get invited to many formal settings. Having to sit or meet with people who are total strangers. There are some pearls of great wisdom in Paul’s words.
For now, Helen and I prepare not only the physical things, but we prepare spiritually as well. Praying before hand that God will give us an opportunity to witness, to share His Gospel, to tell of Christ’s love for us and what Christ has done in our own lives.
There are the usual topics that come up at such events. The same questions raised once Christ is spoken of. For example, “Why did we become Christians, how can we believe in the Bible, aren’t there many roads to God, why is there suffering in the world, how can a God of love send people to hell…” You have heard the same questions I am sure. But have you gone out prepared with the answers to such questions?
For example, if someone asks you, how could a God of love send people to hell, what do you say in response?
I like to ask the person who raises such a question, if then they believe in such a place called hell? Who should go there? Also do they then believe there is a God? It is interesting to see them respond to such questions.
It is amazing how much preparation we put into things that are not that important in the scheme of life.
My prayer is the next time you are invited out, that you pray, you prepare, and that you will be ready as Paul exhorts us…to be able to convince, exhort, teach.
Preparing like that makes going out like being a missionary being sent to a special mission field! I pray that you will indeed be ready to truly share the good news of Christ and that you will change a possible dull and boring event into the most amazing ministry of God’s grace. May God go with you on your mission trip!