Walk of Life, Day 30 – January 2021- Thoughts from the Book of Proverbs.
NEW BEGINNINGS: NEW PREPARATION.
Proverbs 30:25 “The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in summer.”
There is an interesting fact about ants. A group of ants is called as a colony. According to one study, a colony of ants eat 38 grams of food per day. One ant can feed upon 3 pinches of food for 3 days. This shows how little amounts of food ants require to survive. Yet, they store food in summer, well in advance. Ants do not have any teacher, who teaches them the cycle of seasons. However, the wonderful creation of God, ants, prepare food for themselves in the summer, ahead of rains.
We read in Matthew 10:31,” You are of more value than of sparrows.” We are more precious than all these little creatures which are created by the same Lord who has created us. Ants are mindful of the danger that is on its way. So, even though they have little amount of food, they do store some food for the rainy season in summer itself.
Are we even mindful of the great event that we all have to encounter one day? If it were a season like winter or summer, we could have made a schedule as we do for various activities of our life. It is very important for us to know what is that great event that we all should be prepared for.
Have we become so busy with the chores of our life, with our families, duties, church politics, that we neglect the great event, that is, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? Or is it that we are already perfect and are ready for the rapture whichever second it might occur?
Praise be to God! if you find yourself in the second category. Else, it is a very serious amendment that we need to do in our lives right now. For those who are in the track of preparation, the coming of the Lord is a great event, but for those who are negligent and have forgotten such a great event, it is a danger.
The parable of wise and foolish virgins is not new to us. We should observe one thing in the parable, that is, both wise and foolish virgins were waiting for the arrival of the Bridegroom. So, the group of virgins could be compared to the church. We cannot say that the foolish virgins are infidels, they are believers who are negligent. They are waiting for the bridegroom to come, without any preparation. That is the reason they were termed as foolish virgins.
Dear friend, are we also like those foolish virgins, singing loud “The coming of the Lord is very, very near.” But staying very, very far from the Christ? It is high time; we wake up and start preparing to meet our Lord Jesus Christ on that blessed day.
As an ant gathers food and stores it for the time of calamity, we need to store many things spiritually.
Firstly, the word of God should reside in our hearts. Only when you are filled with the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will guide you and teach you from it. One of my favorite portions of the Holy Bible, John 16:13 which says” …for He (The Holy Spirit) shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak:” We find many believers who make instant prayers in few situations saying,” Lord, I am going to speak to that particular person, give me wisdom and put your words in my mouth.” This does not work. From where do you expect the word of God to come and dwell in your mouth, without filling your heart with it?
We are the children of God, not of a magician, who performs magic. God has not given us mantras, but has told us that He is the Way, and His Word is the Lamp. When you read the word of God and store it in your heart, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you have read and stored and will also guide you in the right direction.
Secondly, we need to have and maintain a good connection with the Lord Jesus Christ. For an instance, let us consider two best friends who were the thickest pair during their schooling, who parted their ways for higher studies and have lost touch. If they meet after many decades, will they be sharing the same rapport as they had during their schooling? No. Similarly, If you do not maintain good relation with the Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot go to Him boldly as you did in the initial stages of your salvation. What is hindering you? The problems lie within us, not with the Lord: for He is unchanging. Nothing in Him has changed my friend, He still loves us the same way He did earlier eve though we have been disloyal. When you realize that it is your negligence, carelessness, laziness which has made your relation with God farther, repent and seek His help. He will renew your relationship with Him and will lead you in the right way of preparation.
From this moment let us start our new preparation, preparation to meet our Savior.
NEW YEAR RESOLUTION: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I have been negligent and ignorant of your coming. I admit that I am still not prepared. However, now I determine to be in that phase of preparation to meet you one day. Help me to taste and see how sweet your word is. Help me in mending our relation. Help me to have a good connection with you. Lord, work in me and make me worthy to say ‘Come, Lord Jesus’. In the precious name of my Lord and savior Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
