How Are You Preparing?

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we should also anticipate His second coming.   ~~~   The nation of Israel lived in pretty dire circumstances and darkness in the 8th century during the time of a prophet named Isaiah. Their security was taken away; they had a sense of confusion. People were turning away from God. In their minds they weren’t altogether rejecting Him, just simply not following him. Kings of the land were oppressive. The rich were cruel and heartless. Widows and orphans and the poor had no where to turn for relief. The nation of Assyria, the dominant world power of the time, was marching into the northern kingdom of Israel and carrying fathers and mothers and children by the droves into slavery. The southern kingdom had a ruler who was being advised by God himself to take certain actions, yet that king, Ahaz, refused to do so because of his pride. So the Israelite nation experienced spiritual decay, family stress, national compromise, political corruption. It was a time of darkness—deep darkness. The Jewish people had sown unbelief, and they were reaping the whirlwind of it. This is what Isaiah saw when he looked over the landscape of his day. Yet, on this dark and gloomy canvas, God paints for His people a radiant picture of the coming salvation in His Son. He gives them a Hope. He gives them a place to put their faith. He gives them a person of security. Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” The mercy of God, under no obligation, was extended to them in not giving them what they deserved; and the grace of God, under no obligation, flooded forth like a beaming light in the night sky with the gift of salvation found in the promise of His Son. Do you think the people were eager for the Son to come? Not all of them were, but all of us should be eager for the Son to return, and we should be making preparations for the Son’s return. How many of you, right now, are making preparations for a son or daughter coming home from college; how many of you are making preparations for a big family get together for Christmas? Even more so should we be making preparations for God’s Son to return and take us home! As you celebrate Christmas, and tell your children and grandchildren the story of God’s Son coming to the earth to be born in manger, don’t forget to tell them that He died on a cross to redeem people. And then, don’t forget to tell them that He is returning to gather up all of His brothers and sisters to take them to the home He has prepared.