“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36).

When January 1, 2020 dawned, could we have ever imagined what we would be dealing with for the next twelve months, or how courageous and resilient and creative we could be? Truth is, we never know. Maybe there will not be another tornado to devastate much of Middle Tennessee in 2021. Maybe there will not be another global pandemic in 2021. Maybe there will not be another bombing (can you even believe it?!). But some of us will undoubtedly experience some calamity or tragedy or sickness that will wreck our schedules, require financial resources, and introduce the unexpected.

What have we learned in 2020 to help us to be better prepared for 2021, whatever it holds? One way to think about this is to realize what we most appreciate about what we have been through, and that will shed some light on what we have learned. I asked my seven grandchildren, ages 14 to 3, what they most appreciated about 2020, and their responses were overwhelmingly the opportunity to spend more time with their own families, as well as the use of technology (ZOOM) to be with more people than even would have been the case in a “normal” year. I can certainly identify with both of those. I cherished every moment with my family. And because of the pandemic. I joined a Bible Study Fellowship bible study online which includes people from England, Washington State, Texas, and many other states. These godly women are becoming very dear to me, and I probably would not have “met” them in a “normal” year.

In the above passage, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his upcoming crucifixion. He continues in Matthew 25 to give three parables or teachings on the need to be ready today, taking any needed action without procrastination, because we do not know what the future holds or when the end might arrive.

• The first is the Parable of the Ten Virgins. “Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.” When the bridegroom did arrive, the ones with oil in their lamps were able to go into the feast, but the others were scrambling to find oil for their lamps and got locked out of the event. Jesus then advises “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
• The second is the Parable of the Bags of Gold. A businessman was going on a trip and gave three of his employees some money to take care of in his absence. The first two invested their money and doubled it. The third one, however, just stuck the money in a drawer. His boss was angry at this and said he should have at least put it in the bank to draw interest. But to the first two employees, he rewarded them for their faithfulness and their efforts, saying “Well done, good and faithful servant(s)! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”
• The third is the Parable of the Sheep and Goats. Basically, Jesus is telling us that when he returns as King of Glory, he will execute final judgement. Everyone will come before him and will be classified as a sheep or a goat. To the sheep he will say, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” To the goats he will say, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” The difference was that both sheep and goats had an opportunity to serve Jesus by serving the least of these, but only the sheep had done so.

Make no mistake; this message is not about doing good works. It is about being ready. It is about not waiting another moment to place your heart and soul in the hands of Jesus, believing him for your salvation. The good works, such as serving the least of these, follow our salvation, motivated only by our love and gratitude for what Jesus has done for us.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”(Ephesians 2:8-10).

In Christ,

Judy