THE WEEKLY WORD: Pay attention, be ready

By Matt Howlett, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Charles City

In high school, I was such a good student that on the very last day of my senior year I was invited to stick around after school. I was privileged enough to do this because my grades were so shaky, that I had to see if I had gotten high enough scores on my final tests to pass and be allowed to graduate.

It’s not that I wasn’t smart. There were just so many other things in life more important than schoolwork at that point.

My biggest struggle was simply to pay attention. Especially as my senior year was drawing to a close, the weather was getting nice and I was looking forward to the future, I didn’t have time to pay attention to some stuffy teacher.

It turns out whether you like it or not, paying attention in school is important or you get to extend your school year by several hours.

While I sweated it out to see if my lack of focus and attention would mean summer school instead of exciting new adventures, I began to see the error of my ways.

We must pay attention in all areas of our life – school, work, while your wonderful pastor is preaching, driving, listening to our spouse.

There is much going on in our world that calls us to pay attention as well. Just a few weeks ago we woke up to the news that Israel had come under attack from terrorists.

God’s word promises that in the last days, the Holy Land of Israel will come under attack. So as a pastor, I naturally get asked if that is what we are seeing unfold today.

My best answer is I do not know, but we need to pay attention and be ready. There have been many attacks in Israel before, there may well be more to come.

In the Old Testament, many small judgments followed by hopeful restoration came to God’s people.

This all led up to the ultimate hope coming into the world through Jesus Christ, who came, lived a sinless life, died for the forgiveness of our sins, but rose from the grave to take away the sting of death.

Jesus, Himself, when asked about the end times tells us in Mark 13:32-33, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”

We must pay attention, be ready and ensure that all those around us are ready. Know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Share Jesus with all those around, so that all can know that truth as well.

Pay attention and be ready for whatever is to come!