But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 1Thess 5:4-5
Being taken unawares is a challenge we do have to cope with when situations arise that we did not plan for or did not anticipate or when things we await arrive suddenly when we were still not prepared. Since this can totally ruin everything one has laboured for, many people try as much as possible to anticipate what can go wrong and deploy enough buffers to address potentially negative situations. The knowledge of a particular field is required to rightly anticipate things that can go wrong and the appropriate buffers one can put in place to cushion any untold eventuality. Having identified what has to be done, we have to set ourselves prepared at all times, by executing all that is required. The reward for us is achieving one’s goals. The ultimate goal for every believer is to make heaven and we have to be prepared always to achieve that goal. We have to pursue righteousness, with the help of the Holy Spirit, and emulate the life of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Five bridesmaids in Matthew 25:1-13, considered the possibility of the groom coming late and as such had additional oil for their lamps if that eventuality occurred. The other five did not plan for that eventuality and were locked out from the ceremony. They lost out. Jesus warned us in verse 13 of that text to “Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour”. The greatest eternal regret for any professed Christian is having the knowledge of salvation and not making heaven for lack of preparedness. Paul writing to the Thessalonian church brings out the fact that we are no longer in darkness and as such the day of the Lord should not be a surprise to us (1 Thess. 5:4-5). We should keep our house in order at all times so that His coming will not take us unawares.
The church is awaiting the return of the Lord and the Scriptures teach us to always be prepared for the day will come like a thief. Being prepared involves our immersing ourselves in the word of God that we may have knowledge of His requirement from us. It involves submitting completely to the leading of the Holy Spirit that we may be guided aright. It involves obeying Christ’s commandments to love God and love one another as He has loved us. It involves resisting the devil and not giving him any space in our lives. It involves giving our time and resources to worship God. In Matthew 6:20-21 Jesus cautioned us to “… lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” We create a lot of capital for ourselves in heaven when we sow in the lives of people and in the work of God; when we do good and are obedient to the word of God. When we lay treasure in heaven, our heart will surely be after the things of God.
Today is Rogation Sunday and I congratulate all of us as we look forward to harvesting the blessings of our preparedness for the Lord’s return. We are all being called upon to sow seed for a fruitful harvest; seeds that would lay great treasures for us in Heaven. We are being called upon to demonstrate that we recognize that all we own is from God and we will not hold back from giving for His work as He has blessed us. Harvesting is akin to reaping and gathering grain, other grown products or yields. Some sowing or planting of whatever seed or some investment would naturally have been made that precede the harvest. An old Korean proverb says “If you plant a bean, then you will harvest only beans, not grapes or strawberries.”
In the Christian Church, Harvest is a great season. A season we appreciate God with part of our yields in recognition of the fact that He is the One that gives us the ability to produce wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). It is a season we should reflect on what God has done for us and thank Him by bringing forth our resources for His works to be manifested unto the utmost part of the earth.
Beloved, let us come out today and always to honour our Creator with a fraction of what He has lavished on us.
Have a firm confidence of an approaching season of bumber harvest as you sow bountifully today and during this planting season.
Your brother, Vicar & Archdeacon
S.Igein Isemede