Preparation is an important aspect in many fields of human life, in Family, Agriculture, Athletics, Military service, Education, Travel etc. Jesus' disciples were concerned about preparedness for future events and about the end of the world (see Luke 21, Matthew 24), a subject of Old Testament prophecies with which they were very familiar and so they asked Him about these. In reply, He gave specific signs of the end I draw our attention today. Jesus said "many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows"(Matthew 24:5-8, NKJV). Space does not allow me to show how, amazingly, some events predicted have been unfolding in our time in ways no one ever imagined! For example, no one ever imagined that something would happen and affect the whole world, to tiniest village, the way COVID-19 pandemic, which fits the description of pestilence (evil, plague, destruction, disease, blight, fatal epidemic, pest, scourge) has. Friend, the END OF THE WORLD is not far! Moreover, you and I don't know the hour and the nature of our departure from planet earth. The big question then is, ARE YOU PREPARED?
Father, I thank you for salvation through the death and resurrection of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Help me to be ready, for I know neither the hour of my departure from Earth nor that of Christ's return.