prepared......

"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?"  (Luke 14:28)

What was the last thing you "prepared" for?  What did you do to prepare?  Do you have something you prepare for regularly?  Can you do any prep ahead of time?  Some things we can prepare for can't we?  For instance ya'll know which crop to plant and harvest.  We keep food supplies in the kitchen and know which supplies need to be replaced.  I don't know how you do it but I have my recipe, where I can see it, and all the isupplies on the counter.  When I use the ingredient it gets put away so I know I've used it.  Some prep we do automatically and some we have to stop, think about and then prepare.

The readings are about preparation and doing.  Jeremiah is hearing from the Lord about how the potter can change.  He is prepared, he has the clay on the wheel, and is working the clay, but the potter changes as the clay forms.  (Jeremiah 18:4)  In Philemon Paul is thanking the people for their faith but also praying for "deepening your understanding." (Philemon 1:6)  And Jesus is talking about our faith in following Him.  He is warning it won't be easy (14:26) and is telling us to be prepared.

We have been listening for what God is calling each of us to be doing - are we prepared to follow where God is leading, do what God is asking us to do?  As Caregivers we are already doing a lot of things we have to be "prepared" for but are we prepared to answer when someone asks "why?"  Would "more" preparation help to strengthen our "understanding"?  Something to think about........