Are you prepared? Part 2

In the last blog post, we looked at the warning God gave to King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20 v 1-3) "Are you prepared??". This first part looked at how a non-Christian might respond to news that their life was to soon come to an end. But how would a Christian respond? 

I think firstly, there would be a sense that we had unfinished business. There were places we'd still like to visit, people we'd want to see before we go, but ultimately there would be a lack of fear. Death contains no fear for those who are certain of their eternal home.

Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord

When a person comes to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour, they gain something this world can't guarantee. Peace. 

Peace within, peace with God, peace of mind, peace about eternity. "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1) We have peace with God when we believe in Jesus His Son; His perfect life and sufficient sacrifice for sin. This peace is given to us the moment we believe through faith. Instantaneous, and eternal!

There is also the knowledge that a Christian has of where they will spend eternity. To know the destination makes the journey all the more bearable. "Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself." Phil 3 v 20-21. A Christian already has a hope that they'll be in heaven because they're already citizens there. Waiting for a day when they will go there forever. 

But this takes us onto our next point. These bodies of ours, which sin, and age and eventually die, will one day be changed. We (Christians) will be given a new body, an incorruptible body, just like the The Lord Jesus. "For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling." (2 Cor 5 v 1-2). Our earthly bodies are temporary and decay and are marked by sin, but there's a heavenly and permanent body to come. Just like a fish's body isn't suited for life on land, our current bodies aren't equipped for heaven, but one day all that will change. 

Finally, (and there are many more we could add), we will try to live a life that is pleasing to God. "Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Col 1:10) God wants us to live for Him all through our lives, not just in the easy times, or when we want. There is a future reward for all of the work we have done for Him, and while our work doesn't save us, it does bring rewards in heaven. I hope today you could honestly answer that you'd have the peace of God (through salvation), hope of a future home in heaven, corruptible bodies in the future to look forward to and are living lives which are pleasing to God; waiting to hear those words "Well done, you good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little, I will set you over a lot. Enter into the joy of your master" (Matt 25:21)

Yours in His name

Dan x