Dressed For Readiness

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning” Luke 12:35. I rarely wake up already knowing what I am going to dress myself in for the day. It is one of the last things I think of and only when it is time to leave the house. There is no planning ahead… as a matter of fact I stand there in front of my clothes with a blank disinterested stare. I usually reach for the same thing based on its comfort…ease…and lack of needing ironing. We are told in our selected verse this morning to always be in a state of readiness when it comes to serving God. We must recognize that God has a purpose for each of us every day, and we must open our hearts and minds to receive it. We must put on His will for our day and dress in complete obedience in carrying out His plan. We must consider that the only way to accomplish all of this is to continue to stoke the fire within our hearts to keep the lamp burning. To reflect His light in our lives is to never let the lamp grow dim. We are told in Psalm 119:105 that God’s word ‘is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.’ Through spending time learning what God has to say about every detail in our life we will be more ready to carry out His plan. His plan always includes reaching out to those who are less privileged than we are. His service always involves dealing with all people through the compassionate and gracious heart of God. He gave us the Holy Spirit as oil for our spiritual lamps so that our heart for others will never grow numb or dim. It is when we lose our focus on fellowship with the Trinity that we lose our focus on our responsibility for the burdened and the broken. If every one of us considered the spiritual garments required for service as much as we consider the earthly garments for pleasure stomachs would be fed and widows would be nurtured. Children would no longer be fatherless and churches would not be limited to walls. Our verse is small but has huge implications challenging us to look within ourselves, and become more intentional with our spiritual wardrobe and fellowship with the Flame.