Do you enjoy the cooler temperatures and beautiful colors that come with the fall season? Not surprisingly, Proverbs, the book of wisdom, shares much insight regarding the changing seasons of earth. One very well-known passage is Proverbs 6:6: “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” A similar thought is expressed in Proverbs 10:5, “He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.” The lesson for summer is the wisdom of preparation. Summer days are warm, soft, and sunny. The sky is blue, and the winter storms are far away. Summer is carefree and lazy; but in winter, the “wolf” comes knocking at the door. And this is why the wise one in Proverbs calls us to embrace the example of preparation.
The question to ask is: What are we preparing for?!
First of all, I need to be prepared for heaven! I must be reconciled to God by salvation through His dear Son. Those who have not trusted Jesus Christ are condemned ALREADY; judgment is coming. “The Judge standeth before the door.” (James 5:9)
Additionally, as a child of God, I should prepare for Christ’s coming by living with an awareness that His return could be at any moment. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
We need to prepare our lives and homes against the attacks of the world and the devil. “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11)
We need to prepare for future service! We prepare to serve later by serving NOW; this is a Bible principle. We cannot expect to obey God one day in the future at a hypothetically better time; we are responsible to God today as preparation for continued obedience.
We are wise to also prepare for storms and trials. How?! How can we do this?! I think, firstly, we must plan to grow. This involves habits of prayer…Bible study…church comm itmen t&hel lip;a pplic ation &hell ip;pr iorit y&hel lip;p racti cing all the ways in which we can add to our faith…pursuing the fruit of the Spirit. Secondly, we cling to Christ. “Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared; though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him;” (Hebrews 5:7-9) He suffered in our place, and He is our salvation in suffering. Each trial and victory in Jesus prepares us for the next stormy season.
This list could continue indefinitely! But as we consider the principle of preparation, remember that it is an intentional action. If you cannot lay your finger on an area in your life where you are making spiritual preparation- perhaps in pursuit of faithful or future service, perhaps protecting your spirit or home from falling into casual Christianity, perhaps a habit of spiritual discipline…. Then you are ignoring the warning of the changing seasons. Now is the time of preparation! (V.K.S.)
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