Be Prepared!

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2022 Blog #5

January 31, 2022

Be Prepared!

“Be Prepared” is an old Boy Scout adage. It is good advice weather or not we are or were boy scouts. This past weekend, with a major snowstorm approaching our area, people scrambled to take this advice and prepare for it. Supermarket parking lots were full as we stocked up on milk, bread and eggs. There were lines at gas stations as people filled their car tanks and cans for snow blowers. Did I leave out shovel sales and rock salt? Yes, an approaching storm leads to preparation as we follow our desire to “be prepared.”

We prepare for other things as well. Vacations and trips take a great deal of preparation with reservations, shopping and packing. Retirement also is something that we plan. As we reach middle age we spend time looking at pensions, investments, and what amount our monthly Social Security checks we be and how to maximize that amount based on when we retire. Some people even plan on relocating to minimize their expenses after retirement. This is all good and necessary planning. I encourage this thinking ahead.

Do we do any planning or preparation for the afterlife? What will be our destiny when we die? Do we properly prepare to meet God? Someday we all will meet God. Will that be a happy gathering or one that will cause us grief and embarrassment or worse? What preparations do we make to meet God when we leave this world?

God has told us what is required of us. Do we listen and obey these instructions? God’s ancient prophet proclaimed that God requires that we “do justice, love righteousness, and walk humbly with God.” Do we do these things?

Do we seek justice for all? No, not just people we know or like, but all people? Are we willing to overlook the justice for others to put ourselves first? God requires that we seek justice for all. That is part of our preparation for the afterlife.

Do we love righteousness? Do we even know what God calls a “righteous” life? How will we know if we do not delve into God’s word to us. We cannot live “righteously” if we do not know what that means. Part of our preparation for leaving this world is to understand and live by righteousness.

Do we walk humbly with God? Do we even give God a thought? Do we put ourselves first over God or are we aware that we will answer to God for all of our actions; the good and the bad. Do we ask God what is required of us each day or can God become an afterthought? Humility is something that God requires and is an important part of preparedness for our inevitable deaths.

“Be prepared” is very good advice. I hope that we apply this adage to how we live in preparation for our inevitable meeting with God.

#ReformedChurchInAmerica                                 #PastorMarkAuthor            

#BergenCounty                                                        #BergenfieldNJ

#BePrepared                                                            #Death

#Justic                                                                        #Righteousness

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order copy of his book:https://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/