Full but Empty

About a decade ago, I was shipping some items to Nigeria and the shipper had come to the place I was living to collect the items. During our conversation, I can’t remember how we got to the topic of Jesus’ return, and this man asked me if I was ready for the LORD’s return. My response was, ‘I’m getting ready.’ I was expecting him to say that he understood and the challenges of living the life of faith and all that but what he said next shocked me. He just told me bluntly that he was ready for the LORD’s second coming.

He wasn’t getting ready but he was ready.

This conversation from my side meant I was putting my house in order; that I still had some issues I was still resolving but this shipper was ready. He had put his house in order; nothing else to resolve. He’s heed the warning of the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 that the coming of the LORD is like a thief in the night. The thief doesn’t tell you that he’s coming and you should put your things in order, lock your door, keep your car keys here or there so that it doesn’t get cloned. You just know the times you’re living in and is daily prepared.

While I was still thinking that, ‘okay, I’ll forgive that person by and by; I’ll get rid of the bitterness by and by. I will be thankful when things begin to change for the better. I will begin to study my Bible daily when …’

This man, without saying it, simply said, in as much as it is today, I forgive. Because it is today, I put away that bitterness and maliciousness. Today is another day to be thankful and grateful. Today, I put away every weight and every sin that easily beset me. Hebrews 12:1. When those thoughts come to my mind, I am not entertaining them but casting them down immediately (after all, Hebrews 11:1 says ‘Now, Faith is…’). Now that I take this breath, I forgive. Then when I take the next breath, I choose love; then the next breath, I choose life.

I’m not sure the man was telling me that he was perfect but that he was choosing to have a perfect heart towards GOD daily. Putting away selfishness and selfish conceit daily, asking GOD for mercy and Grace, help and forgiveness daily - not leaving anything to fester but dealing with it daily.

During the COVID-19 season, I was speaking to my daughter’s tutor at the time. This person gave the impression of them being a Christian (I met them in church), during our conversation - of events happening in the world and all that - I just exclaimed aloud, 'come, LORD Jesus!' This person just told me bluntly to stop calling the LORD to come and that the LORD will come when He wants to come. I was shocked at a believer in Christ saying that the LORD shouldn't be called to come, But isn't that like all of us? We don't want the LORD to come because we are not ready. We want to achieve this or that - get married, have kids, enjoy life before He comes. For some of us, we have issues we are dealing with and we want Him to give us time to get our act together before He comes.

As we don't know when the day or hour will be, we just trust Him daily with our lives, waking up full daily (full of life, full of GOD, of gratitude, Grace) and ensuring to be going to bed empty daily (empty of bitterness, strife, pride, jealousy, hatred and all the other manner of evil work).

What I consciously do now is asking GOD to daily search my heart and try my reins and see if there's any wickedness in me. I ask Him to daily lead me in the path everlasting (Psalm 139) and I also tell Him to give me the Grace to follow Him as He leads me in the path everlasting (because it is possible for Him to lead me in the path everlasting and I'm not following Him). I ask Him to sit as the refiner's fire over my heart and as the purifier's fire; to give me clean hands and a pure heart.

I think this helps me to be strengthened when thoughts come into my heart, to recognise when they're from the enemy, so that I can pull them down instantly - not allowing things to fester.

The LORD help us as we run this race - living this adventurous life.