"You must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour.you do not expect" (Luke 12:40).
Jesus is speaking here of his second coming. He will return as King and Judge of all. Will we be ready for his return? And how can we know if we are doing what is good and right to get or be ready?
First, we must have faith. This is to say, we must put our confident trust in Jesus the Savior. We must hear his promises and believe them. We must receive his word and recognize it must be done.
Second, flowing from faith, we seek his kingdom. That is to say we set our minds on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. The way we live today is shaped by the reality of Christ in heaven now and by our certain future with him there for eternity (a future that could begin sooner, rather than later).
Third, our behavior, words, and attitudes must be shaped by his revealed will. God has made plain to us how we ought to live in the world today and what our priorities must be. We must obey. We, his servants, have received the will of our Master. In the Scripture, illuminated by the Spirit, we learn how to live.
So with faith in his gospel promises, hearts set on his kingdom, and obedience to his word we can be ready of his return or for the moment we go to him suddenly through the death of the body.
Ready?