You.

Prepare the way for the Lord. Matthew three, verse one. This was the message John the Baptist proclaimed as Jesus began his ministry on earth. Be prepared, he said. Jesus would preach the same the kingdom of God is coming, he announced, wherever he went. So get yourselves ready. The apostles who wrote about the return of Jesus in the future declared the same message. He he's coming back, they wrote. So be prepared. One of the men in our church made the following observation. It takes a woman a long time to get herself ready in the morning. He was right, and he wasn't being critical. A woman puts on makeup, curls her hair, paints her nails, and does a lot of other things before she leaves the house for the tasks of the day. All those things take a little extra time, but a woman takes the time to do them because doing so helps her look and feel her best. A woman likes to be prepared to meet the world and tackle whatever comes her way. Many of the things we Christians do, including prayer, Bible study, worship and visiting those in need who need special care or attention, take extra time, effort and preparation, too. But when we take the extra time needed to prepare for such things, we make the church strong and effective. It just makes sense to be prepared. Whether we're talking about homework, going to church, meeting friends for coffee, or leaving on a trip, taking a little time to be prepared helps us avoid sloppy work, rushing around, trying to tie up loose ends at the last minute, and helps ease the worry that comes with the uncomfortable feeling that we are forgetting something. This is especially true of Bible study and worship. A little bit of advanced thought and preparation will set the stage for giving and getting the most from our Bible study and worship. So take the little extra bit of time that you need to be prepared. Things will be much easier and will likely go a lot smoother when you do.

This has been your thought for the day with Steve Burkham, pastor of Community Christian Church in Stockton, California. If you have questions or comments for Pastor Steve, please send them to daily thoughts [email protected] have a great day, and we hope you'll join us tomorrow as pastor Steve opens God's word to bring us another thought for the day.