At a time in the nation of Israel the people wandered away and God needed to call them back, so, He sent His prophet to warn them and ask them to do what was right and acceptable before Him. This was needful in order to avert His judgment and antidotes recommended for their sins according to prophet Jeremiah were clearly spelt out sequentially and these include: 1) Breaking of their fallow ground-every uncultivated, unrepentant, evil, and hard hearted heart devoid of God, His laws, ways, principles must be broken and made ready to seek God for renewal. Step 2 involves circumcision of the first skin of their heart and this implies cutting off everything and anything that resists God. This is basically God's dealing with their evil heart that has departed from Him (Jeremiah 5:23, 3:7b, Amos 4:6, 8-11, Ezekiel 36:26-27). Lastly, there must be a genuine desire to seek God. The Lord must be carefully sought when He may be found and His mercy obtained, however, if these antidote are ignored, His judgment will burn as a wild fire (Jeremiah 4:3-4). God's judgment is looming on the unrepentant as there is no safe harbour for sinners and willfull disobedient. No nation can keep his citizens, neither can any strategy or plan, economic procedure or programme suffice and keep anyone secure from the wrath to come except genuine repentance and obedience to Christ's command. God's charge to Jeremiah for the children of Israel is extended to us today (Jeremiah 7:8-12, 6:13-15). There is certainty of God's judgment and truly with an appointed time for it (Jeremiah 8:7). Can anyone face the wrath and the judgment of God? Are you prepared for it? Are you sure you are ready to meet God-the righteous judge though now loving, merciful, good and gracious but will soon be a God of judgment.
There are many who are bewildered as lots of things are happening in this our soon ending world. Yet, there are many also who on the other hand are just settling down and spreading their tentacles thinking that this evil world will never end. So many are unprepared to quit this world to meet with God and that is the reason why a lot has been invested on remodelling this soon ending (crumbling) world. There is continuous launching into the space and exploration of the planets and galaxies by the scientists from powerful nations of the world seeking alternatives to our world that is gradually becoming unsafe to live in. However, little do the realize that the God who created this world is in control of all His other creation they are exploring. It is also evident with the recent happenings that many nations are unprepared as hundreds of thousands have been swept away by the careful siege of the pandemic corona virus that plagued our world and which is still wreaking havoc. While some have accused their leaders for not taking appropriate action to curtail the menace; others blame them for negligence, lackadaisical or nonchalant attitude, incompetence, and inefficiency as regards tackling the pandemic. Yet, the creator of the heaven and the earth has left us with this puzzle to solve though He knows the way out, but He decides to be looking at us watching our effort at combating it. Others may fail to prepare the world and make it safe and habitable to live in, but you must not fail to prepare for yourself the place where you will live eternally. It will only take the wise to discern the times we are living in; hence, everyone needs to take responsibility for his or her own life (1 Peter 4:7).
Yes, there is no one who will decide for you! God has left us with the choice to make of where we will live eternally, either with Him or with the Satan on the other side (lake of fire). But many are carefree and carelessly pass through life to eternity thinking it will be easy on the other side without making adequate preparation for the great beyond, but they later found themselves to blame as they meet their doom. Now is the time to take decision, amend and adequately prepare as we know of the unfortunate demise of many who have unpreparedly gone to meet their God this year. Though they have enjoyed the care, attention and love lavished and showered on them by family, paramedics and medics who took care of their bodies not minding the condition of their soul and spirit despite it was obvious that they will die. Even the medics (medical team) are overwhelmed by what they see and handle daily being themselves helpless as they are the edge of giving up, often times worn out, tired, and perturbed. It was indeed a distressing situation for them too. And as many are going to eternity daily, who truly care for the state of their soul and spirit that will surely return to God?
Things are changing fast; rapid degeneration and untold hardship have already bedevilled many all over the world. Hence, there is serious need for rethink most especially with the current trend of events-invasion of locust destroying crops which may lead to famine, world dwindling and disrupted economy, fallen crude oil price, floods, storms, insurgencies and invaluable loss of lives and properties to mention a few ravaging our world. Then, one may begin to wonder what is happening. And truly there great losses due to unpreparedness, and if I may ask how prepared are you for eternity? If great nations of the world were accused of unpreparedness for the pandemic their experience and competence notwithstanding; how much more an ordinary people who can easily fail to make adequate preparation. Prior to the time anyone goes on a journey, there must be adequate planning, sorting, arranging and parking of things needed. Essential items must be neatly packed and arranged as luggage will be constantly checked to ensure that needed items are not left behind. So also, one would constantly check the luggage for non essential items too (things that one can easily do without) which may only constitute a burden. And eventually before settling out, every unnecessary item will be carefully removed from the luggage to avoid excess weight particularly in places where luggage will be checked for weight, hence, there will be the need for thorough scrutiny of each item.
This reminds me of what happened few years ago. I was at the airport about to board a plane heading to Nigeria, though I had a lot of stuff, but I could not carry all with me because my bags were already overweighed, and I was not ready to pay for extra luggage (extra weight). So, right there at the airport, I began to sort my stuff again even though I had already done that before leaving for the airport. I realized that I have a very limited time before the plane took off; yet, the weight of my luggage must be right because I would not be allowed in with excess weight. I hurriedly search through to decide items to be removed. It was a tough decision though, but I have to let go some of the stuff in my luggage. I eventually gave out those that I cannot carry along with me in my journey. Oftentimes, we busy ourselves with non essential that we hardly place value on making adequate preparation for our journey to eternity. When we have within our stuff unnecessary items or seemingly necessary but that which may only constitute extra luggage, it is needful now to sort our stuff because not everyone may be fortunate to have the time to do the last minute sorting as I was opportune to do for my items before I boarded the plane. The time is short and by the signs of time it won't be long, eternity is at the corner, yet, some are carelessly and proudly parading themselves to their ruin. It is a pity that many also invariably fail to make tangible and meaningful decision that will affect their lives for now and eternity, consequently, they are doomed forever for living outside the confines of the will of God for their lives. If James speaks of the coming of the Lord being at hand then, how much more is it now (James 5:8)? And if I may ask again what do you carry? Do you have excess luggage? Remember, there are luggage that cannot go with you. Every sin must be confessed, discarded and forsaken, every wrong doing must be made right/corrected, lives must be pure, holy, pleasing the Lord and prepared for our saviour's soon returning.
We are living in a more delicate and troublesome time when there is need for extra watchfulness (Ephesians 5:15, 1Peter1:7). And the time has come when each and everyone must take responsibility for personal repentance and completely turn away from sins (Ezekiel 14:14). The time of ignorance God winked at but now He commands everyone everywhere to repent. Because when a soul is delivered from the pit (destruction and judgment) in His mercy such receives grace to see the light of life (Job 33:28-30). For the scripture says that mercy triumph over judgment, however, mercy is for those who will endeavour to seek God (1 Samuel 12:24-25, Hebrews 13:4). And that is why the priests urged Saul not to rely on his exploits but to draw near to seek God (1 Samuel 14:36b-37). But those who will not seek His mercy and grace, they will be eternally damned for God has already decreed woe on those who abandon Him. God says that He knows Ephraim quite well and Israel is not hidden from Him because they do not direct their deeds towards turning to Him (Hosea 5:4). God is just in all His ways (Job 36:5, 13-15, Hosea 7: 13-16a) but prevalence of sins such as falsehood and deceit will engender His wrath and judgment (Jeremiah 9:5-9, 26-29). Another sin that God cannot overlook is the sin of adultery and immorality of all shades except there is genuine repentance. Even Job noted that adultery is wickedness, it is an iniquity deserving judgment, not that alone, he described it as a fire that consumes to destruction and root out all increase (Job 31:1-3, 9-12). Solomon also alluded to this in Proverbs 6:25-27 that a strange woman, an adulterous woman is a fire that burns. There are many other sins for which the judgment and wrath of God will be unleashed except man repents (Romans 1:18-32, Galatians 5:19-21).
And that is why the songwriter succinctly puts:
And that is why the songwriter succinctly puts:
Careless soul why will you linger wandering from the fold of God
Hear you now the invitation? O prepare to meet thy God
Chorus: Careless soul o careless soul O heed the warning
For your life will soon be gone, O how sad to face the judgment
unprepared to meet thy God.
Why so thoughtless are you standing while the fleeting years go by
And your life is spent in folly O prepare to meet thy God
If you spurned the invitation till the spirit shall depart
Then you'll see your sad condition unprepared to meet thy God
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