InSpirational Column: Preparing For Jesus' Return

joyce54aa@swoidup.net

Through the years we've heard the preachers say that Jesus is coming soon. Many beautiful songs have been written about His return. We've heard the words so many times that we tend to forget their true meaning. When Jesus splits the clouds and comes to take us home, there will be no time to fall on our knees in prayer and get things right with God. When Jesus comes again . . . we need to be ready.

We know that God forgives our sins, but we much first confess them. If we carry these sins around with us, we are still accountable for them. God will forgive our sins, but we have to confess them and then ask for His forgiveness.

1 John 1: 9 & 10, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Sometimes it is easy to let the little sins slide and just push them into the background. God sees each of these sins and He knows our hearts better than we do. To have an effective walk with our Heavenly Father, we need to go to Him in prayer each day and ask for forgiveness for these sins. Unconfessed sin is a barrier between us and God.

As we see the signs all around us of a world in chaos, it is imperative that we keep ourselves prayed up. In our hearts we know that Jesus could return at any time. It could be today, or it could be tomorrow. By getting ourselves ready for His return, we will walk more closely with God.

How would we feel if today was the day that Jesus returned? Would we be ashamed of the way we conduct our lives? Do we live each day with sins of the past that we have never confessed to God? If so, now is the time to come before God and to get things right with Him. By not asking for forgiveness, these sins stay with us and hinder our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

One of the most wonderful scriptures in the Bible is found in the last words of Jeremiah 31. It simply says, for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more.

God knows our hearts and He knows the sins that we carry around with us. We can't hide them from Him. Most of us don't do the terrible things that we hear about each day, but we still sin and these sins need to be forgiven. God will forgive us, but we must ask for His forgiveness.

On the day of Jesus' return, we need to be ready, and to be ready, we need to have our lives right with God. Daily confession of our sins will keep us close to Him. I want to have my heart right with God, as I await the day that our Blessed Savior returns. When He returns, I want to welcome Him with open arms and be secure in knowing that I am ready. Even so, come Lord Jesus.