One night last week I was returning home while Bobby was still at Bible study. Walking from my car to our place I thought I could smell gas, or something like it, from the neighbor’s house. As I carried sleepy Tyler up the stairs to our condo I remembered something from the Sunday before last. The speaker had talked about the rapture and asked if we were ready to see God at any moment. I hadn’t thought much about it personally until I was standing outside our front door. I guess the gas smell got my imagination going because there I stood on the doorstep thinking to myself–what if that gas was from our place? If I turned the light on would it ignite our whole home?! I’m not sure if that really happens or if I’ve just seen too many movies, but I was frozen.

The reality of meeting the Lord overwhelmed me. I would never have known for sure if I was to step into the next life after stepping in that door and flipping the light switch. I don’t know how long I stood there because I was just praying the whole time, that God would help me to be ready to see Him at any moment.

I forgot about that night until today when I was driving I tuned in to the local Christian radio station and heard a pastor speaking on the end times. He seemed to be an “expert” on the happenings in Revelation and stated his points factually. I had questions about many of those points, but one thing he said that I really liked was that we do not know when Jesus will return. We need to be ready.

I remember a time when I thought that only old people wanted the rapture to happen. I’m sad to say that I thought I wanted Christ’s return to be delayed so I could get married and enjoy my life some. What an immature and unspiritual perspective I had! The Lord has changed my perspective though, as I have seen more of my sin, I long more for the light of His presence to clean that darkness out. I can’t think of anything more exciting than Jesus return.

I’m afraid that many people have that perspective that I had, especially younger people. We think that we want to experience life. I asked a group of high school girls about this once and they all were quick to say things that they really want to do or accomplish before Christ’s coming–getting married, having a family, finishing college, traveling in Europe, having their first kiss. These were real hopes for them. They were much more excited about college than the idea that God might come to earth!

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16

In these verses Peter calls us to live in a way that eagerly anticipates the future of our salvation. I thought of this verse that night on our doorstep and looked it up later that night. I started asking myself, “What would it look like to be ready to see God.” Yes, we will always have sin in this life, but how could I be living now that would show that I am eagerly anticipating Christ’s return? This passage shows three big exhortations that would characterize someone who is ready to see God.

Sober. “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober…”

Christians need to be steady, self-controlled, and alert. The note in my MacArthur study Bible says, “The sober Christian is correctly in charge of his priorities and not intoxicated with the various allurements of the world.” It’s so easy to become distracted and even swept away by the cares or enticements of the world. Somehow what is spiritual can take second place to family, work, school, and friends. Someone who is sober takes spiritual things very seriously as being of utmost importance in the scheme of the other things in their life. Not easily distracted, standing firm, resisting temptation, prayerful and sensitive to the Spirit.

Hopeful. “…Rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

A Christian has no need to fear the future. Salvation meets its glorious end in death because that is when we become fully like Christ, without sin and in His presence. When Christ is revealed His grace will bring us to completion. We should long for this moment! What could we possible accomplish on this earth and in this life that could match such a fulfillment? A Christian who is eagerly awaiting Christ’s return is hopeful and watchful, with full confidence in God’s Word and promises. He trusts that all circumstances, especially trials, are leading him to the fulfillment of that hope.

Obedient. “…as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts.”

Holiness is to be perfect, clean from the stain of sin. Obedience leads to holiness. Peter cautions us not to conform to the former lusts. When we became Christians God gave us a new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17) and good works to do (Ephesians 2:10). As we follow these He works a transformation in us, making us holy as He is holy. We can not be transformed if we are not obedient to Him.

That night I thought about this passage and was convicted that I must pursue growth in these areas. One overall area that I weighed heavy on my heart was that of holiness. When I think about being ready to meet God I know that I need to be holy. Just the thought of seeing God–my Creator and Sustainer, in all of His glory and holiness–makes me feel weak and shriveled inside. I feel like Isaiah did when he said “Woe is me!”(Isaiah 6:5) He was overwhelmed because He saw God and knew that he was unclean. God cannot tolerate any sin, any uncleanness. But much of the time I can tolerate it in my own life. I know that I’ve been impatient and quick with my words, judgmental in my thoughts or angry in my heart, but I think, “Well, I’m working on it…I have time.” But that whole mindset is wrong! When I live like that I’m living with a worldly perspective.

MacArthur says of this verse, “Living in the reality of Christ’s return makes a difference in the Christian’s behavior.” Christ will return. It could be tomorrow, ten years from now, or in my grandchildren’s lifetimes. We don’t know. But just because we don’t know doesn’t mean we can slack off and procrastinate on holiness. Whether He returns first or we die–we will meet God either way. I don’t know about you, but there are areas in my life that I know of without thinking too hard that need to be purified. I am gripped with this knowledge of God’s holiness. You and I need to take seriously and soberly this reality–His holiness and His return. We need to purify ourselves from our sinful ways of thinking, ungodly words, laziness, selfishness–the list could go on and on! If we say that He is our hope it will make a difference in our behavior. I don’t know about you, but I want to be ready to see God at any moment!