Years ago, in what would have been my second church appointment, I was serving at First UMC in Devils Lake, North Dakota. I was sitting in my office working when there was a knock on the office door. I wasn’t expecting anyone, but there’s always that saying, “Expect the unexpected.” I said, “Come in,” and in walked an individual from the fire department. He explained that he was there to do our annual fire inspection.
I must have had a worried or horrified look on my face because he actually asked me, “Is it OK if I do the inspection?” I told him it was fine with me. I just had never experienced anything like this before. But honestly, my brain was racing with thoughts: “What will he find?” “What do all those storage rooms look like?” “Are there things we need to fix?” And on and on my mind went.
Well, what brought that experience back to mind was a recent experience with a food truck. I had decided to treat myself to a food truck lunch. While I was waiting for my order, I noticed a woman approaching the order window with a clipboard and some papers in her hand. My immediate thought was, “The health inspector!” Sure enough, she talked with the man taking orders and then made her way around to the back side of the food truck. Before long, I could see her inside doing her inspection.
Now, I’m glad there are health inspectors. I’m grateful that restaurants, food trucks and other places where food is prepared are inspected to make sure they are following proper health and cleanliness standards.
But I couldn’t help feeling a touch of anxiousness for the food truck operators. Their noon rush was just getting underway, and people were beginning to line up. I’m sure there was at least a little part of them thinking, “We don’t have time for this!” or maybe even, “Why now?” It reminded me of my own experience with that unexpected fire inspection. Sometimes the unexpected has a way of showing up at precisely the moment when we least expect it.
And that brings to mind something Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 12. Jesus tells a story about servants who have been left in charge while their master is away at a wedding banquet. Rather than taking it easy because the master is gone, they remain dressed, alert and ready. They are prepared for the moment when their master will return and knock on the door.
Jesus’ point is pretty simple: Be ready. But I think it’s important to understand what kind of readiness Jesus is talking about. It isn’t meant to be a life filled with worry, fear or anxiety—wondering when the unexpected is going to happen and whether we will be prepared when it does. For followers of Jesus, readiness is supposed to be something different. It is anticipation.
We don’t know what the next moment will bring. We don’t know what is around the next corner. We don’t know when Christ will return or when our own earthly journey will come to an end. But we do know this: Jesus is coming. And for those who belong to him, that is good news!
So perhaps living ready means living each day with our hearts open to what God might do next. It means loving people while we have the opportunity. It means serving when we can. It means forgiving, encouraging, worshiping and trusting God—not because we are afraid of what might happen next, but because we are excited about what God might do next.
There is a big difference between “What if something happens?” and “I wonder what God has in store!” One produces anxiety. The other produces anticipation. And I think Jesus invites us to live with the second kind of readiness. None of us can truly imagine what that moment will be like when we see Jesus face to face. But I have a feeling there will be an incredible sense of joy, welcome and homecoming.
So, until that day, let’s stay ready—not with fear, but with joy. Not looking over our shoulders anxiously, but looking ahead expectantly. Because when the knock finally comes, we won’t have to wonder who is on the other side of the door. It will be Jesus. And that is one unexpected arrival I hope we are all looking forward to!
By the way, my food truck lunch was really good. And I trust the food truck made it through its inspection A-OK!
Pastor Keith