Be Ready

Preparation is not only about getting things together, but it also involves tying up loose ends and frequently means downsizing . . . Even those who may not align with the spiritual teaching in regard to the imminence of the end of days, still find themselves a bit guarded and unsure about the future. For years, people have tried to be prepared for emergencies, "rainy days," retirement, you name it, most folks feel some sort of accountability in preparation.

I have noticed though, as our society becomes addicted to instant gratification, many are saying they accept a bleak future, but if I were a betting woman, I'm guessing they are just planning on an instant solution, like someone sharing with them in; the event of social decline. So whether one is preparing for hard times or just lavishing everything on themselves before the hard times hit, nearly everyone is expecting a negative change in the standard of living. For many of us, "be ready," are the instructions of our Messiah in regard to His return and the events that will unfold leading up to that. I talk to several people who are no longer making retirement plans, but readiness plans. There are people who are planning survivalist measures and those who are making their way to a simpler sustainable lifestyle. Things are changing, and depending upon where we are placing our faith, determines the things we are doing to "be ready."

Although things haven't quite gone as I thought they would in seeking His plan, I continue to prepare to share with family, in Moshiach. I did a lot of the simplifying over the past decade toward positive, forward readying; but in that same time, I was also tying up loose ends and allowing YHWH to close doors. Then came the day I had to stand there when doors were slammed in my face, not to be opened again, by humanity. That's not to say G-d can't open those doors, but I know that I know, I can't and I'm not supposed to. This brings me to the body of the concept of "be ready."

There are so many teachers, prophets, and believers in general all sounding the warning that we are on the brink of global calamity, and I am in agreement. Peter mentioned it at Shavu'ot [Day of Pentecost], 2000 years ago, so we are undoubtedly 2000 years closer to that prophecy being fulfilled. Now, as to "be ready." That doesn't mean horde and stockpile, but rather be heading toward perpetual and sustainable supply. Since G-d's original plan involved a garden, and we've been redeemed . . . not to mention that was the first thing Noah did after offering a sacrifice. There are also two things I've taken note of in both those accounts. When Adam and Even were cast out of the garden, access back in, wasn't on their terms. When Noah loaded and boarded the ark, Scripture tells us YHWH closed the door.

Even unbelievers know about "the mark of the beast" and although there are differing opinions regarding the actual mark, we do know business as usual will cease at some point, so we can't leave things hanging, knowing they need to be done. When the time comes to work together, we can't bring things we know should have been behind us. I tell people not to get their young adult children tied up in student loans, that can leave them slaves to the system. A 30 year mortgage is not a secure investment at all . . . Stock piling money certainly isn't an investment, as we've all seen in the last few years. Besides, our money is only worth what our government can back and already we have no idea how long we will observe this "state of sequester" over a mere fraction of a percentage of our waste . . . Tying up loose ends is part of being ready.

For those of us in the family of Israel, we can't be dragging our loose ends into fellowships and ministries that have been separating themselves. We'd stumble those ministries. Some of us won't have the means to bring provision, but we sure don't need to bring burdens. We must take this time to finish up old business. We must take the responsibility to literally close doors that we say "G-d has closed." We must let go of things and relationships that G-d did not ordain for our lives. We have to let go for them, for us, and for G-d to use us . . . I'm one of those trail blazing kind of people. I don't mind bush whacking, I don't mind a tough row to hoe or an uphill struggle, but realizing doors have to close and I can't reopen them, isn't alwasy easy to accept. Leaving doors closed is as necessary to being ready as a willingness to walk through new doors.

Downsizing baggage is as necessary as having supplies. Allowing the door to be closed to the darkness of the past is as essential to being ready as a having oil for my lamp. I see doors closing quite similar to tying up loose ends. I see loose ends to be as shoe laces. If you don't tie them up, you'll trip over them and end up falling.