YOU MIGHT BE A WATCHMAN IF… (3)

You are prepared

Someone asked me once why I believed the Lord would predetermine those who go to Heaven and Hell if He was a loving and gracious God. I wasn’t prepared for the question, so the answer I gave was as contradictory as a politician’s pre-election and post-election speech! Another time, I provided a snippet for an Operations Order and was questioned about the verbiage I had chosen. Not knowing how to explain why I worded it as I did, I said, “THEY told me to put that in there.” “They” often take the blame, but that should never work when it comes to God’s Word as the “they” are always “us.”

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who ask you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1Pt 3.15). Many of us feel convicted to speak when we hear something “not right,” like “Jesus isn’t God, water baptism saves you, choose God and He’ll choose you, that’s just my interpretation, gays are Christians too, and Christians shouldn’t judge,” but we don’t know how to defend our stance, so we remain silent. Abe Lincoln said, “Better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak out and prove it.” Though that’s good wisdom, it’s really bad theology.

“Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day or hour your Lord will come…. Be ready, because the son of Man will come… when you do not expect Him. Who is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master” finds doing as He commands? (Mt 24.42-46). Jesus often implores us to “be ready,” “keep watch,” and “be alert” for He will come with an expectation of a return for the talents He’s gifted us. Woe to him or her, who like the virgins who forgot their oil, will see the door shut because they were not prepared (Mt 25.10-13). A fool remains silent when he or she has the conviction and words to speak. A wise man holds his tongue when he has the conviction but is not prepared with the words. The watchman is prepared to speak when God’s Spirit convicts.

Paul’s advice to Timothy should be our own, “Be prepared in season and out of season” (2Tim 4.2). We do not know when our conviction will lead us to speak, but woe to us if we are not prepared to do so.