Firefighters do their work in a state of readiness.

Picture a firehall. The firefighters need to be ready to respond to a call at a moment’s notice. The firepole exists to save time getting from the second or third floor to the first, quickly. The truck is also always full of gas and ready to go. 

I was speaking with a firefighter recently. His name is Josh. We are both assistant coaches on my son’s hockey team. I was asking him about something I had seen before. ‘Do firefighters still have their work boots and bunker gear pre-assembled beside the truck?’ Yes, he replied, and he was nice enough to send me a picture. Basically, when a firefighter steps into their boots, they can then pull up the rest of their bunker gear in one motion! All of this is to save time.

The key word is readiness.

The reason I’m telling you all of this is because readiness is a key theme in the New Testament teachings about the return of Jesus. It simply keeps coming up. Be ready, be ready, be ready.

I did a word study on the biblical verb “to watch” (Greek: gregoreo). The sense is different than simply “watching something.” Think more of someone who is “keeping watch,” like a watchman on a fortified wall of an ancient city. This same word can also be translated as “be alert.” One of the occurrences of this word is in Matthew 25:13. Speaking about his return, Jesus said: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Let’s get serious. If Jesus were to return today or tomorrow, would you be ready to meet him?

Are you right with God? Are you responding to his call on your life, or are you wasting your time and energy on pointless or distracting things?

I like the image of those firefighter boots, pre-assembled with the rest of the bunker gear. Maybe I’ll print it out and get it framed for my wall. We know not when the Master calls.

The key is readiness.

“Watch therefore,” Jesus said, “for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Notes

-“Being Ready for Jesus’ Return: The Parable of the 10 Virgins.” Click here. Sermon.

-“When it comes to prayer, make a plan.” Recently I was invited to write a leadership article for “Living in Truth,” an online publication. Although geared to church leaders, it may be useful to you. Click here.

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.