It's time to go!

Based on Exodus 31-33, Matthew 22:1-22

Getting ready, up & out the door on time can usually be a challenge with many kids, but when timing is important for an event (most importantly, church!), you start planning ahead to be sure you'll be out the door in no time at go-time!

Things don't always go smoothly, but planning ahead & being prepared certainly helps! That's why, when it comes to God, preparing our hearts is so important! In the end, when God calls us to do something (and at the very end, to go to Heaven), the only thing that matters is if our hearts are in the right place!

"Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him."
Exodus 32:26.

After Moses talked with God in the mountain, God told him his people were corrupting themselves. They had made a golden calf & started to worship it! So, Moses went down and asked who was on The Lord's side. Many of those who chose idol worship and did not turn back to God were killed, but those who were left had to make things right. They had to bring their hearts back into obedience to God in order to be ready when it was time to go continue the journey.

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way. And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments." Exodus 33:1‭-‬4.

God allowed them to go forward, but He was still heartbroken at their stiffnecked ways. This really touched me. God wasn't pleased with them, but He still wanted them to get to the promised land. Even the people began to mourn & feel the hurt & pain of their disobedience to God. Although it was to be a land flowing with milk & honey, it all seemed bittersweet.

Today, Jesus looks for ready hearts to go celebrate with Him in eternity. An earthly promised land is one thing, but what's most amazing is our Heavenly home! Jesus gave His all to us, and still does! So, our whole hearts must be in love with Him. We can't experience Heaven without that crucial dedication of our hearts in repentance, baptism & receiving the Holy Ghost! Will we be ready when it's time to go?

"Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:" Matthew 22:4‭-‬5.

We can't make light of The Light of the world! In order to go to the marriage supper of The Lamb as the Bride of Christ, we all must surrender our hearts. Nothing else is more important!!

"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." Mark 13:31.