Prepare Yourself

This weekend, the Christmas mat went out on the front porch.

Within a few hours, I took our normal coir mat and put it back where it’s been for the last few months, layering the Christmas mat on top of it (I didn’t bother to sweep off the porch again or clean the glass door—sue me). We have ridiculously heavy winds here, and I remembered that I’d finally moved the Christmas mat inside last year to keep it from blowing off. Placing it on top of the friction of my every day front door mat was enough to keep it a little more solid and stable.

Then I realized what I’d done.

Underneath the cheery “Merry Christmas” and dancing snowmen, I’d hidden the words: Prepare Yourself.

When I first asked my friends (shout out to Board and Brush Panama City) to send me the materials to paint our front mat, I meant it as a thought provokingly ominous joke. And it worked.

My students laughed as they walked in through the front door, hoping they were ready for whatever Latin or geography I threw at them. My husband saw it as a reminder that he was transitioning from squadron to home (there are fewer bodies here and sometimes they can be louder, but they are no less challenging). Our guests walked in with a laugh on their lips, which is the best way possible for guests to arrive. And I even saw it as a gentle reminder whether I’m going out the door or coming in it—am I taking Christ’s light out into the world? am I bringing it home with me?

But now, I’m reading it as a reminder for Advent, the season when we await the celebration of Christ’s coming and look forward to his return. In these four weeks, I’m remembering that he came and he will come again (whether I’m ready or not). I’m seeing that, really, we’ve been in a two millennia season of advent as we wait for his return. And the words “prepare yourself” are layered underneath all the years of waiting. Christ is giving his Bride time to get ready.

As we prepare for Christmas, we all have our own lists of things that must be done: house decorated, gifts wrapped beneath the tree, special treats made, traditions fulfilled. But it’s easy to forget that we are preparing for something much bigger than December 25.

So how do we prepare for the second coming?

The first step is acknowledging that we are completely incapable of doing so on our own. We surrender the preparation back to Jesus, and we ask him to work in us until we more clearly shine his light through our lives. Our surrender allows him to do the preparation in us.

And then, as our faith and hope in him takes root, we are able to “work out our salvation in fear and trembling” (fear and trembling not because we are afraid that our salvation isn’t real but because we know that we are not the ones calling the shots or orchestrating the work). We “fix our eyes on Jesus”, drawing closer to him, so that when he returns, we recognize him as friend and greet him with joy.

This season, let’s not forget that underneath the cheerful “Merry Christmas” greetings are the words—careful, measured, peaceful, but pointed—prepare yourself.

Christmas will come whether or not the gifts are wrapped or the baking is done or the stockings are stuffed. And Christ will come whether we are ready or not for the joy of his presence and the gravity of his justice.

The weeks of Advent are gone in the blink of an eye. Eternity with our Savior is forever.

Today maybe we need to remember to make the best use of the waiting. May we prepare ourselves..