Toilet paper, paper towels, Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer….. People are swarming in masses to the store in order to “prepare” themselves for the Corona Virus.  I went to Safeway yesterday and I literally felt like I was in a line at Disneyland.  Costco is being bombarded with people who are running like Godzilla in order to be one of the lucky few who get their hands on the golden pack of toilet paper.  It is mass chaos.  People may not even need these items but they certainly want to be prepared for whatever may hit.  In a world that is out of their control, at least they can know they have enough supplies to get them through life for a month.  

I understand the concern.  This virus is spreading and it is dangerous.  People’s lives have been taken and certainly it has changed many things in our day to day living.   We should prepare for the future and what may come.  For this very reason, I am shocked that people are so quick to “prepare” for the next few months, and could care less about “preparing” for eternity.  The Bible warns that there is coming a day when Jesus will return to take His children, those who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior, home.  For those who have prepared, it will be a glorious day.  We will meet our Heavenly Father face to face.  All of our tears will be wiped away.  Sorrow and sighing will cease.  There will be no more sickness, nor pain. We will no longer have to deal with sin and temptation.  Oh what a day that will be!  For those who are not prepared, however, and have chosen to either put off the decision to make Christ their Savior, or who have out and out rejected Him, unfortunately this day will be the first day of an eternity of suffering and pain and regret and well… hell.  I do not write these words lightly for I know the weight they carry with them.  I just want to point out the fact that the Lord has given us  warning after warning in His word.  Not only has He warned us of the dangers of not being prepared, He has offered us the solution that will take care of us for eternity.  We do not have to stand in a long line or fight our way through a crowd in order to capture the golden ticket.  We simply have to admit we are our a sinner in need of a Savior.  We have to acknowledge that His sacrifice on Calvary is the only solution to this crisis.  Through the shedding of His blood, He can take a person sick with sin and clothe them in robes of righteousness.  What an awesome God.  The cure for sin is offered to all who believe.  There is no one who is excluded.  Rich or poor, black or white, man or woman, the worst of sinners or the “best” of society are welcome to take their position at the feet of Jesus.  Regardless of your past and in spite of your present, come..  The Lord is calling you to prepare yourself for eternity.  He longs that no one should perish.  His heart aches for those who are putting off salvation because He knows the outcome of being too late.  My friend, the government may be telling you to prepare for something that may or may not affect you, but Jesus is telling you to prepare for an eternity which is guaranteed, 100%, to hit every single human being.

For those who have accepted Christ as Savior, we too should feel the longing to share with other the joyous news that there is a cure for sin.  This is a perfect time to spread the good news.  We need to be lighthouses that point to Jesus.  We need to show others that, even though the world seems to be spinning out of control, Jesus holds the world in His hand and has complete control of every situation.  Therefore, if we know Him, there is no need to be terrified or anxious because we know what happens in the end.  Righteousness wins, death is defeated, and Jesus reigns.  We just need to BE PREPARED.  

“Behold, I am coming like a thief.  “Blessed is he who stays awake and who keeps his clothes (that is, stays spiritually ready for the Lord’s return), so that he will not be naked-spiritually unprepared- and men will not see his shame.”  Rev 16:15