Packed And Ready To Go

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 – Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." (NIV)

I was sitting quietly, listening to the geese flocking together overhead, when out from between the houses a large hawk swooped down. With it came the shrill screeching of a small bird madly trying to recover the young one just scooped up. Alas, in vain she pursued her offspring, which was clutched up into the claws of death. Valiantly she tried to catch up, but it was too late.

How often have we seen sudden death: an auto accident, a tumble from a scuffle, or a fatal heart attack? It can happen so quickly; we have no time to think twice. It is not a pleasant topic to think about, but so often it does come, like the hawk making off with its prey.

My title, "Packed up and ready to go", can be turned into a question for each of us. Are we packed and ready at any time to leave this earth and go to paradise — like the thief on the cross — to be with Jesus?

A little morbid? True, but when our time is spent here on earth and we are called home, let us be sure we are packed. How can we be packed? We must be born again, saved by the blood of Jesus and have the assurance of our salvation. We sometimes sit too comfortably, thinking only of time spent here on earth. Let us cling fast to life, as we should, till the time God calls us, but let us ensure we have the deed to our heavenly home.

Let us enjoy each day measured out for us, but, at the same time, let us make sure that, if we are suddenly taken up like the prey carried away by the hawk, we are "packed and ready to go".

Let us also, by our example, show others, enabling them to be aware that we are saved to eternal life, so they can find some comfort, if in sudden death we should be taken without warning.

Prayer: Dear Lord, enable us to be ready, in a twinkling of an eye, to be with You, and grant us the assurance of our salvation. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.