As I write this, I’m sitting on my porch on an overcast morning that feels an awfully lot like Fall. My husband says I’m rushing the season, but we can’t deny it. The temperature has made a turn, and mornings have that little nip that says cooler weather is on its way. Enjoying this weather is one benefit of being out here, but I came out for a more basic reason.

Our power just went out and my house is too dark for reading.

Power outages are just plain inconvenient, but never more so when you’re unprepared. You see, I’m quite relaxed as I sit here. I’ve already had my shower (hot water) and fixed my hair (blow dryer and curling iron). I just poured myself a cup of coffee (still piping hot). I really don’t have a reason to need electricity until my laptop dies, and it’s kind of a blessing not to have internet for a few hours. No worries. I’ll go “old school” and pull out my “Strong’s Concordance” since I can’t search Bible Gateway for cross-references!

My husband, on the other hand, had to jump up and head for the shower before our water got cold. He has places to be and things to do today. The power outage interrupted his routine.

I was prepared, even though I didn’t know it was coming.

It occurred to me there’s a great spiritual analogy in my interrupted morning (hence these rambling words). When we are prepared (ready) the unexpected doesn’t bother us quite as much as when we’re unprepared.

1 Peter 1:13 – Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Are you prepared for the revelation of Jesus Christ? The Bible says that one day, all those who belong to Him by faith will be caught up to meet Him in the air!

John 14:1-3 – Do not let your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

Luke relates a parable Jesus told about His second coming—that day when He will return to stand again on the Mount of Olives and judge the wicked (those who have refused His offer of salvation and rebelled against Him).

Luke 12:35-40 – Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. … You too, be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.

This morning, I was “dressed and ready” when the unexpected happened. And, because I have put my faith in the Son of God for salvation, I am “dressed and ready” for His return.

When the unexpected happens, what will you do?

What about death? Maybe we won’t live until Jesus returns. Perhaps we will advance to an old age, but perhaps not. Every day, people die unexpectedly.

A heart attack.

A freak accident.

A stroke.

A plane crash.

A ten-car pile-up on the freeway.

A random drive-by shooting.

A split-second decision that costs us our lives.

James 4:13-14 – Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

Two questions we all should be ready to answer:

Are you prepared for death?

Are you prepared for the revelation of Jesus Christ?

Well, in the time it’s taken to write this blog, the power has been restored. Life will go back to normal. Being unprepared for a power outage is important, but I can handle what turned out to be less than an inconvenient hour in the dark.

Being unprepared to meet Jesus, however, should cause us to take stock of our lives and get ready.

The outcome is eternal.