Prepared 1

Revelation 22:1-5

As I have watched my own mother grow older and seen family friends reach retirement, I have been witness to these individuals reaping the rewards of careful investments and disciplined saving. They are able to have a secure life in later years thanks to an accumulation of many years of money management. They have worked for years to be prepared for this time.

This passage from Revelation is a description of what the writer has seen to be awaiting the faithful in heaven. What was the river like? What grew on each side? What problems will be taken away? What will be done?

For many years I was afraid to read Revelation because I expected horrible images and descriptions of torment and torture. I believe many others may shy away from this conclusion to the Bible for the same reason.

But in fact there are many assurances of all the goodness we can expect and hope to receive from God. Our fate, if we are faithful believers and followers of Christ's teachings and God's commands, is a beautiful reward of comfort and peace.

The caveat is our being faithful and obedient. How can we receive the great reward God has for us if we are not prepared now and always to honor God's commands and follow the teachings of Christ?

These images and promises of healing and goodness await us at the end of time if we can prepare our hearts and souls now for God's kingdom. But I also believe we can experience such bliss in our lives today if we can prepare ourselves to take part in God's table of abundance.

We must prepare ourselves to be in communion with God by ridding ourselves of our sinful nature and sinful desires. We must discipline ourselves to live out the teachings of Christ, and in so doing we will feel the healing that comes from the tree of life.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you prepare yourself to live a more Christian life?