You Must Be Ready

Yesterday, Brian and I travelled with our four sons in two vehicles to Logan Lake, BC to spend the Christmas holidays with my husband's family. The night before we left, it snowed all night. But shortly before we left, the snow stopped, and God was with us, because the roads were clear and the visibility normal. We also experienced a special surprise from God on route.

Yesterday morning, as we were getting into our vehicles for our Christmas journey, I looked at Brian and  my son Tim, the two designated drivers, and blurted out without thinking, "Stop when we see a wolf because I want to take a picture of it!" My family looked at me in disbelief. I stood there, also in disbelief, as I wondered why I had just said what I had said.

Well, God must have put those words on my lips, because when we were travelling through Mount Robson park, my husband, Brian, spotted a large black wolf standing in the middle of the road. Brian, being an obedient husband, stopped as I fumbled to take my camera out of its case, remove the lens cap off, push the right button to roll down the car window, and then break away from the mesmerization of staring straight into the eyes of a beautiful wolf standing only a car's length away. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a picture of the wolf before the car behind us thoughtlessly passed us and frightened the wolf into the bushes. But the picture of the wolf will be forever in my mind, and I will never forget both it and the lesson it taught me.

When I saw the wolf, I was not prepared to take its picture, even though God spoke to me ahead of time about it. I should have had my camera out of its case, lying right beside me, with the lens cap off and ready, but I didn't. Why? Because I didn't completely believe that I would see a wolf in the wilds close enough to safely take a picture of while driving in winter conditions. I especially didn't believe that I would see a wolf that would actually pose for me. My partial disbelief caused me to be not completely prepared, and I missed out.

This message holds true for people today as well. God has promised us in Scripture that His Son, Jesus Christ, will once again return to earth. We need to be fully prepared for His glorious return, or we will miss out too.

"So you also must be ready,

because the Son of Man

will come at an hour

when you do not expect Him."

Matthew 24:44 (NIV)