Ready or Not, Here He Comes

December 23, 2019

From today’s reading…

Lo, I will send you

Elijah, the prophet,

Before the day of the LORD comes,

the great and terrible day,

To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,

and the hearts of the children to their fathers,

Lest I come and strike

the land with doom.”

When I play hide-and-go-seek with my 5-year-old daughter I have to count for the neighborhood to hear and proclaim with great clarity “READY OR NOT! HERE I COME!”

But that’s only after counting LOUDLY and s.l.o.w.l.y.

She needs time to think and search and get into position.

I can hear her little feet scurrying around the house, opening and closing cabinets, climbing into boxes, breathing heavily, and even giggling.

The entire experience is fun and I want her to win, which is why I give her ample time and warning that I am coming.

We see this same countdown and warning in Malachi 3 and Luke 1 today in the stories of Elijah and John.

Not only does God send prophets to warn us. He sends prophets and saints to retell the stories of the prophets and saints.

God wants us to win.

He is giving us ample time to prepare.

But we do not have forever.

There is a countdown and God will return “and strike the land with doom.”

But you’re paying attention. You’ve heard the countdown, and you are playing to win, which is why you…

Stay the course.Keep the faith.Endure.