Your Appointment With God.

By: Clay Barnes

Have you ever needed an appointment at the doctor or the dentist’s office, and when being told they were full you were told that you would be notified should there be a cancellation.  In other words you would have to be ready to go in just a few moments notice.   In life there are all types of appointments, some we plan for in advance, some come up in a moments notice.  But, are we ready for the most important appointment of all?  The appointment I’m referring to of course is our appointment with God.  Known as The Judgment Day.  The Bible has much to say about that day.  Jesus says in Mark 13:32-33, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.”   When we know that we could receive   a call at anytime we need to plan accordingly and adjust our schedules around that possibility.  Consider with me please the story of the Ten Virgins in Matthew chapter 25.  1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming;^] go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.  Unfortunately, five of these ladies were unprepared to meet the bridegroom, they knew he was coming , but failed to make the proper preparations.   Suppose we had a severe toothache, and the dentist informed us that there were no appointments, but would call us just as soon as he could work us in.  What kind of attitude would we have?  I hardly think we would be unprepared to go to the dental office.  On the contrary, I think we would be sitting by the phone.  Why?  Because getting our tooth repaired would our top priority.    But, what is our priority’s as we move about in life?  We saw what was important to the five foolish virgins, as they slumbered and slept and was lazy.  We see what kind of a problem the one talent man had as we go back to Matthew chapter 25 this time in verses 14-30.  14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  This man decided to do nothing because he was afraid and decided not to prioritize.  He buried it and hoped just by giving it back when his master came to collect that it would be sufficient.  But, it was not.  Life is a lot like this also, we get busy with life and lose sight of what is most important, and that is going to Heaven.  Dear reader,  if you are to busy to plan your life so you can go to Heaven then something is wrong. Should the Lord come today what would our condition with the Lord be?  Consider Revelation 20:12-13.  12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.  So, what are your works?  Will they stand should the Lord come today?   2Peter 3:10-13.   10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.