Christian Living

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I’m getting ready for church, wandering around the house, collecting items to take with me. I take the little cooler from the cupboard to store a cold drink and some apples. I open the freezer to get out the ice-brick which goes with the cooler. Meanwhile, my toddler, Jessie, is picking up books and dropping them in the hallway, one at a time. My bag is already lying on the floor near the door in readiness. I grab the Sabbath School supplies and a change of clothes. The collection of children’s books grows into a pile; Jessie is busily trotting back and forth with her supplies.

We have a lunch at church today so I have to remember the potato salad. My husband covers the bowl with plastic wrap and leaves it on the bench. I find my shoes and put them on, and Jessie walks to the door, saying, “Boo, boo” as she looks for her boots. “Not today,” I laugh, thinking of gumboots with her special church outfit. We find the pretty stripey shoes and some socks for Jessie to wear.

Jessie pulls me towards my bag and shows me that she has packed a ball to take. She doesn’t know where we are going, but she wants to be prepared. I look at her selection of books and choose a few, putting the rest back in the lounge room. She doesn’t need all that reading material, along with toys we already have in the car.

Soon the family is ready and I think of Jessie’s involvement. She wasn’t aware of all the details, but she could see the cues that we were making which indicated we were going out somewhere. She got ready as well as she could with the little experience and knowledge that she had. Some of her efforts were a bit misguided, but I didn’t mind – I knew she tried to help in her own way. She showed she was ready and willing to come with us.

There are lots of signs around us that let us know a big journey is ahead of us. The wars and rumours of wars, talk of peace, lack of unity in the homes, pride, selfishness, anger, violence, loss of natural affection amongst people… there are many cues to read. We can pretend we don’t know what is going on – or we can show ourselves to be willing and ready for when Jesus comes to take us to our real home with Him. What are you doing with your time?


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“Let the fig tree teach you a lesson. When its branches become green and tender and it starts putting out leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you will know that the time is near, ready to begin.” Matthew 24: 32, 33. (Good News Bible)

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