PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor Emeritus
Text Amos 4:6-12: “… I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, And lack of bread in all your places; Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says the LORD. 7 “I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, And where it did not rain the part withered. 8 So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, But they were not satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says the LORD. 9 “I blasted you with blight and mildew. When your gardens increased, Your vineyards, Your fig trees, And your olive trees, The locust devoured them; Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says the LORD. 10 “I sent among you a plague after the manner of Egypt; Your young men I killed with a sword, Along with your captive horses; I made the stench of your camps come up into your nostrils; Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says the LORD.11 “I overthrew some of you,
As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says the LORD.12 “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”
The story of Israel is a story of much unfaithfulness on the part of God’s people. In the days of Amos, nothing seemed to bring Israel to their senses. God sent judgment after judgment upon His people, seeking to bring them to repentance. He sent famine, lack of rain, blight, plagues, and wars, all of which were of no avail. Over and over in our text, we read the sad words, “Yet you have not returned to Me.” Neither God’s goodness nor His judgments touched the hearts of Israel. His final word to them is chilling: Prepare to meet Your God. God warns them to prepare for that inevitable final judgment.
Like Israel, we too must be prepared to meet God. Some people go to great lengths to prepare to meet a famous person, yet casually exit this life totally unprepared to meet God. If you were to meet the president, regardless of your political persuasion, would you not prepare for that meeting? Ladies would go to the beauty parlor to have their hair fixed. We would want to be clothed in our Sunday best. And yet some people leave this life totally unprepared to meet their Maker.
Let’s do some supposing. Suppose you knew that in seven days you would stand before the majestic throne of God. How would you prepare for that event? I want to suggest four things I would do if I were in that situation.
I would seek to renew and strengthen my faith in Jesus. I would remind myself that He is my Savior. I would want to meet God with my heart full of love and trust for Jesus. I would remind myself that God is holy and righteous in all His ways and will not fellowship with those who reject His Son. I must trust in the righteousness I possess by faith in Jesus. My personal, puny righteousness will not stand under the scrutiny of the Almighty. If I met God, trusting in my righteousness, I would crumble before Him. I need a perfect, flawless righteousness, the righteousness of Christ. That righteousness is possessed by faith alone.
I would think of Jesus during those last seven days. Do you know that all of us will have a final week on earth? The problem is that we do not know when those last seven days will commence. Therefore, should we not be prepared to meet God today?
If I knew I was in my final week, I would pray much. The TV would not play that week. I would pray for my five children and Marie that they would draw near to Jesus. If I suspected any church members were not right with God, I would pray for them. I would thank God for every year of life He has given me. I would especially thank Him for Jesus, my Savior and Lord.
If there were persons with whom I was not reconciled, I would pray that God would bring healing into that situation. I would reach out to them with a hand of forgiveness. I would not want to face God harboring a grudge against anyone. He has forgiven me a debt I could not pay, and I don’t want to face Him holding on to petty grievances. I would remind myself that I have prayed, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors thousands of times. I would want to make sure that I was practicing what I prayed. When will my last seven days begin? I do not know, so should I not be a man of intense prayer today?
If I knew I was in my final week, I would want to share Jesus with as many as I could. Many live their lives with little thought of God, people who would be lost without faith in Jesus. I would want to encourage everyone to trust in Jesus. Since we do not know when that final week begins, shouldn't evangelism be a high priority today?
I have seen a few examples of people who know they have but a short time to live. Instead of thinking about God, they wanted to “live it up.” In Hitler’s bunker with the Russians at the door, even though the end was near, many began to drink, dance, and party. After Hitler committed suicide, many others followed suit. How strange that seems to me.
I would want to live those last seven days in faithfulness to God. I would not want to face Him after a week of sin and rebellion against His will. I would be very careful in that last week to seek and do the will of God. Living righteously for one week will not merit anything from God. I have all the merit I need in the doing and dying of Jesus. Nevertheless, He is pleased when we obey Him, and I would want to please Him during that final week.
I would want to be in church with God’s people. I would benefit from their encouragement. The bread and the cup would have powerful meaning for me, reminding me of God’s gracious plan of salvation through the gift of His Son. Is this my final week? I do not know. Should I not be prepared to meet God today?
I have not met many famous people. You may not know the name of R. C. Sproul, a very renowned theologian. I did meet him in Chicago a few years ago. I was as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. What should I say to this giant of the faith? I said nothing. I just shook his hand and handed him a book to autograph. I didn’t think he would want to chit-chat with me!
What is the best way to prepare to meet God? The best way to prepare is to be a friend of His Son. Jesus once referred to His disciples as “friends.” No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends (John 15:15). If Jesus is your friend, you are prepared to meet His Father.
I have read several stories about people who went to God unexpectedly. I wonder how many of those soldiers and sailors who died on December 7th, 1941, were prepared to meet God. I don’t know. How many of those killed on September 11, 2001, were prepared to meet God? People unexpectedly killed in a plane crash or an auto accident, were they prepared? I don’t know. Their final week began at a time unbeknownst to them. Life is brief. The future is uncertain. Perhaps today is the beginning of your final week on earth. Are you prepared to meet God? Let’s pray…
