Prepared

Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Mt.24:44

Jesus is instructing his disciple on the signs of the end times. The imperative is to be ready as we don't know when the day will be that is our judgement day.

Mum has died. For the last four weeks she knew she was dieing, she knew her judgement day was fast approaching. This was a particular grace that was given to her that is not given to most people. It gave her time to prepare. It gave her time to make her profession of faith. It gave her time to be baptised.

I may not have that period of grace. As it stands, I do not know the hour that the Lord is coming. Today I live my day as though it is my last.

Lord Jesus, strengthen me to be a faithful servant so you may find me employed at the task you have given me on that final day.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Mountaintop Experience

And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’ And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
Lk.9:35,36

Jesus has taken Peter, John and James up the holy mountain. Jesus is transfigured into a glorious, blinding light as he converses with Elijah and Moses. Peter blurts out that he wants to stay on the mountain top in the state of glory. God the Father speaks from a cloud in response, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

I've had mountaintop experiences, one of them actually on top of mount Tongariro. It was a beautiful clear sunny morning and I and my tramping friends were looking out over the central North Island with Lake Taupo in the distance. The morning view was spectacular. It was before I was a believer, yet I had a sense that a creative hand was responsible for the stunning beauty we were witnessing. I wanted to stay there, in the glory.

But the call of life brought us down off the mountaintop. I didn't have then what I have now, knowledge of the Son of God and his words to listen to. The mountaintop glory is now always available to me. How? By contemplating Jesus and listening to him.

Lord Jesus, you call me back to that mountaintop glory every time I listen to you. I place my trust in you.

Take Courage Dear Heart

When the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’
Mt.14:26,27

There is a storm on the lake and Jesus is walking on water towards his disciples. They believe he is a ghost and are terrified.  Jesus calls out and assures them, "It is I! Do not be afraid".

There is a scene in C S Lewis' book Voyage of the Dawntreader that draws straight from this Bible passage. The children are battling their worst nightmares while sailing past Shadow Island. Lucy, is alone in the crows nest and succumbing to terror when a seagull flies out from the gloom and cries out, "Take courage dear heart!".  Lucy immediately knows it is Aslan and her courage returns.

It's in times of trouble and affliction that Jesus is closest. As terror grows his courage within me grows stronger. It's a law of his love.

"Take courage dear heart".

Thank you Jesus for being always present in my fears. I place my trust in you.
Little Flower, please pray for me.