Be prepared

22 December. Day 22.

Luke 22

As I was reading the first 13 verses of this chapter, I found myself trying to imagine being there. I tried to think of what I would be feeling or thinking as a disciple of Jesus at that time.

The first 6 verses introduce us to the becoming betrayer. Judas, called Iscariot. I caught myself asking this question, “ Was this really part of God’s plan? If Judas did not go ahead with his private plans, what would the outcome have been? How did Judas feel knowing he was putting an evil scheme together?”

The next 7 verses intrigued me even more. Jesus instructs Peter and John to go and make preparations for the Passover. They reply, “where shall we do this?” Jesus responds in Verse 10-12. “He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.”  [ESV] How simple. How profound. How wonderful! Imagine being the man who would be carrying the jar of water that day. What was his story? Or how about being the master of the house that the man carrying the jar of water would enter. What had his life been like up until that day? Had the Holy Spirit urged him to acquire the home he did? Had he renovated and created a functional guest suite upstairs? Had he done this easily or at great personal sacrifice? We will never ever know. And yet he has such a specific and phenomenal part to play in the story of the first Lords Supper. He had the venue. He had the furniture. He had made the preparations. The Book of Luke makes no more mention of him!

What has God asked you and me to do? Prepare a room to be able to host people? Intentionally go about the normal routine of our day and make the most of any opportunity the Holy Spirit leads us to? Make soup in abundance so that when somebody needs a meal one is readily available for them? Go to work each day with the eyes of our hearts open to encourage a colleague? Stock granola bars in our car cubby holes so that we can give it to somebody at the traffic light? Nobody may ever find out, or see, or know, but it will have a life changing effect on the one it was prepared for.

Let’s prepare with excellence what God has asked of us, so that we can obey immediately when He calls us!