Volume X, Issue IV PCC Scroll Article

Article that will be published tomorrow in church blog.

When I was a child, I remember going through safety drills at school. These drills were never quite taken seriously by me or my classmates. As an adult, I go through similar drills at my job. These drills are not quite taken that seriously either. People roll their eyes and some don’t even bother going through the motions of leaving the building or ducking and covering.

Then, there are the occasional real, unscheduled fire alarms. They are followed by the anti-climactic discovery that nothing was seriously amiss. Normally, the café had burned something. In an odd way, it’s actually disappointing. It is Much Ado about Nothing. It is like we are rehearsing for a play that we do not really believe will ever have an opening night.

During the real drills that turn out to be dress rehearsals, I have a coworker who comes out to our meeting area with a duffel bag that contains his emergency supply kit. He is prepared.

The theme of this issue is preparing for what is to come/preparing for challenges. When I began thinking about my article for this issue, my coworker came to mind. The more I thought about him and his duffel bag, the more I realized he is the only one that is prepared. It reminded me of the Parable of the Ten Virgins.

It is a familiar story. Ten virgins went out to meet the bridegroom. The bridegroom was delayed, and they slept. They were awakened by a cry in the night that the bridegroom was coming. Five were wise and had enough oil for their lamps, but five were not prepared. Though the parable refers to being ready for Christ’s return, I would like to use it in relation to being prepared in a natural sense.

In the work scenario, my coworker with his duffel bag is the lone wise virgin. The rest of us will no doubt, like the unwise virgins, plead with him for water or food. And he, like the wise virgins, will have to decline.

We have been told that a big earthquake is expected in our area. Yet, how many of us have taken the time to prepare for it? It is better to be prepared for a disaster and never need it than to try to scramble to get supplies together amongst the chaos of the aftermath of an actual disaster.

The economy is sputtering, yet how many of us have an emergency savings just in case. Yes, God will take care of us, but God expects us to be good stewards and prepare.

Tomorrow is not promised, yet how many of us have a will in place?

Of course, our spiritual preparation is extremely crucial, and knowing God’s word and voice is so important. Disciplines like fasting, prayer, and Bible study are a huge part of our preparation.

I would like to encourage you to prepare. We don’t know what is going to happen in the next hour, week, or month, but we can prepare ourselves both naturally and spiritually.