Do you remember playing hide and seek in your childhood, or with your kids? It was such fun, I don't know if it's still played but I suspect it is. We would cover our eyes and count down from 30, 20 or 10, giving time for the others to find a hidey hole, then the hunt was on as we sang out "coming ready or not!"
I remembered that game this week as we got news of the death of our neighbour. She had been in hospital, had surgery and was recovering well, until suddenly she suffered complications and within a few days she was gone. She had been a lovely neighbour and we will miss her bright smile. I am comforted by the lovely memory I have of serving communion to her at our village church service last month. I like to think she was ready.
This morning on my way back from my cycling in the gym (it feels safer than being out on the road!), I called in to see one of my favourite ladies in the serviced apartments in our village. She is in her 90's and lost her dear husband suddenly some time ago. We always have a good laugh together and she always tells me she is very ready to join him in heaven.
One thing we all know is that death knocks at our door whenever it is 'our time', and, whether we are ready or not. I was certainly not ready to lose my father suddenly when I was 18. Perhaps I would never have been ready. But we all know that there are 2 things in this world that are certain, death and taxes!
The Psalmist wrote, "You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." Psalm 139:16 (Read the whole psalm to see how God watches over us, his creation.)
You see, we cannot hide from God. He is there whether we believe in him or not. He was there before the creation of the world, he was there before our birth. He was watching over us being formed in our mother's womb, he was there as we were being born. He is watching us live our lives, wether we are living to please God or to please ourselves. Then, when our days are over we will come face to face with him whether we are ready or not.
The Bible says, "And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment" Hebrews 9:27. The judgment will not be based on whether we have been good enough because not one of us can ever be good enough for God. Really?!! Yes! That is why Jesus Christ had to bear our sins on the cross and give his life a ransom for us. He said so himself. (Mark 10:45. ) You and I will be judged upon whether we lived our lives, by faith, to please Jesus Christ, or wether we lived to please ourselves.
My choice to believe, or not, determines whether I am ready or not. I hope you have or will choose faith in Jesus Christ, because he is the Lord and giver of life, our hope, our peace, and our joy. He is most certainly my peace in these very uncertain times in which we live, because he has told us how it all ends.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your gift of life, and the assurance that it is only by faith in you that we can inherit eternal life. Amen
