Prepared - ?

According to our Target baby registry, baby Langness' due date is a mere 43 days away. Yikes.

To prepare for the beginning of this parenthood adventure - the lovely part called childbirth - Jordan and I attended a "Prepared Childbirth Class" last week. Although there was helpful information and we learned some good tips for the labor process, I decided that the term "prepared childbirth" is an oxymoron. How can you prepare for something that is different for every woman, especially one who has never had any past experience (like myself)? Seems to me that you just go in knowing what kinds of things to expect and just roll with the punches as they come.

I also decided that when Scripture compares the return of Jesus to childbirth, that's a pretty accurate image. Just as I've learned many of the things to expect during labor and childbirth but yet have no idea what exactly it's going to be like, I believe we can learn many of the things to expect during the last days and Christ's return - yet really we have no idea what it will be like. The Lord has revealed many things to us in His Word - we know there will be famines, earthquakes, wars, indescribable terror and immense destruction on the earth. And yet, how the Lord will bring all these things to pass is still a mystery. We don't know exactly how He shall choose to execute His wrath. However, we do know it is coming.

"Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, 'Peace and safety!' then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober . . For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him." - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9

We may not know the day, the hour, or how the events will play out. But we can rest assured that Jesus will indeed come again - He promised and He is faithful. We can also know with certainty that whatever happens, however it happens, we are safe in His arms. Maybe, when it comes to the return of Jesus and the events of the tribulation, we simply need to learn what what we can and then cling to Him when the time comes.

So, how prepared are you for the return of Jesus? Do you know Him? Are you telling others how to be prepared? May we be faithful stewards of the time the Lord has given us -- sharing Him until He calls us home or takes us home.