As we near the beginning of a new school year, many of us are in preparation mode. Being prepared is an important part of achieving success in life. Matthew 25 records a parable about ten women who were preparing for a prominent person’s wedding. In a shame and honour culture that valued honour more than anything else, participating in a marriage feast of an honourable host in your village gave you honour and social standing. Five women were well prepared and enjoyed the party, and the other five were unprepared and lost the opportunity of a lifetime. The bible says that the women who were prepared were wise and the women who were not ready are referred to as being foolish.
We have been through so much in the last sixteen months, and I understand that COVID-19 is not completely behind us yet. However, how we come out of this global crisis will determine our trajectory as a community. We can choose to sit around and wait for that day to come, or we can prepare for what our tomorrow will look like. Historically, how we transition out of crises like wars and economic downturns has always been indicative of a nation’s trajectory. We are living in a “hinge moment”—a significant time in history. This is the time for us to get ready.
Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” In verse nine, the author continues: “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Wherever we are in life, we have the opportunity to get ready for something great. We can commit our work to the Lord trusting that God will establish our steps. My prayer for our community is that we would come out of the pandemic having learned important lessons. I pray that we would prepare ourselves to love one another more deeply, to care for one another more passionately, and to stand together more unified than ever before. Let’s get ready. Let’s prepare for our next chapter and see how God blesses us.
