Are you Prepared?

Today's Advent devotion is brought to us by Wilshire Baptist Church. Our scripture reading is from Luke 12:35-48.

35 "Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

41Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?" 42And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Lee Russell says this:

This text puts us on notice that we are to be ready to meet God at any given moment. But in this season of Advent, let us look at it another way. Luke says the servant who is vigilant and taking care of his assigned tasks will be ready for the master whenever he comes and will be rewarded for his effort. He also says a burglar could not enter our homes if we knew he were coming.

I read this passage and what I ask myself is:
Who are you waiting for?
Who are you prepared for?
Whose servant am I? Do I live for myself, or do I live like I have an authority bigger than myself? Who is master?
Do I show myself ready for my master's imminent return?
Christ could return at any moment...am I ready for that?

I have to admit....I am prepared to wait a while for Christ to return. I want so much to see my boy child grow up, to see him experience life and living it for the Lord. I want this so much that sometimes I'd really rather that Christ delay his return just a bit longer. That feels rather selfish of me. BUT I am ready, I am waiting, I think my house is in order for the most part. I try to live like I have a higher authority to answer to ....and not just my hubbie. But that I live for Christ, for GOD. But I can do more, I can be waiting expectantly.