Readiness

Back in the fall of 1986, my husband had to go away on business.
He needed to be in California for some training.
He would be gone for three weeks.
I joined him for one week of his time there.

We had two little daughters then.
The older one had just turned 2 1/2 years old a month before.
The younger one was 3 months old.
It was hard for me to leave them but I knew they were in good hands.

I am not a traveler.
For me to go off to California by myself to be with my husband was a big deal.
For me to leave two little girls who stole my heart was not an easy thing to do.
I got on the plane and halfway across the country, I was glad I did.

My husband would be in training all day long for a portion of that week.
The nights were ours to explore the area.
I had to be adventurous or else remain in the hotel while he was working.
There was a little town I wanted to see, one that my husband thought I might enjoy.

It was the town of Los Gatos.
The town is located in the San Francisco Bay area in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
It is at the southwest corner of San Jose.
It is in the area known as Silicon Valley.

Not having any car while we were out there, I called a taxi.
The taxi came and drove me to the quaint little town.
I enjoyed walking around and window shopping.
I enjoyed eating lunch in a quiet little restaurant as I read a book that I brought with me.

The taxi picked me up later in the day.
I was back at the hotel before my husband returned.
I had story upon story of things I saw that day.
Besides San Francisco, it was a highlight of my time there.

Three years later, four months after our son was born, I heard the devastating news report.
On October 17, 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake occurred in Northern California.
I will not forget that date because it was our anniversary.
I will not forget the quake because the charming town of Los Gatos was severely damaged.

The earthquake is often called, the World Series earthquake since there was live footage on TV.
The game was held at Candlestick Park in San Francisco with 62,000 people in attendance.
The fact that people were at the game and not on the freeways was a blessing.
Several of the Bay Area’s major transportation structures suffered catastrophic failures.

I remember seeing the footage.
My heart grieved for the people.
It was reported that there were 63 deaths and 3,757 injuries.
The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.9 and a maximum Mecalli intensity of IX, which is violent.

The sadness I felt was compounded when I saw the pictures of Los Gatos.
I kept saying to my husband, I was there.
All the streets I had walked were now buckled.
The quaint buildings I had seen had collapsed.

I had not thought about that until a friend of mine went on vacation with her husband.
They had a wonderful trip to Europe planned.
They would land in Paris and spend some time there.
They would end their 2 1/2 week trip in Italy, staying in a charming villa.

I heard the news the other day.
A magnitude-6.2 earthquake in Italy had devastated the town of Amatrice.
The mayor of Amatrice said that the town, is no more.
What was once a town is now in ruins.

I sent my friend a text since she arrived home a week ago.
Were you anywhere near the location of the earthquake when you were in Italy? I asked.
Ye, my friend had been there.
Just like me all those years ago, she walked on streets that currently are no more.

Towns rebuild.
Cities come back after catastrophes.
However, the pain and the memories are still there.
One only hopes that there is resiliency to come back even stronger.

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other one left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other one left. Therefore, keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you least expect Him. (Matthew 24:36-44)

We cannot look down the corridors of time and see what will happen in the future.
We do not know if we have years or days left on this earth.
Jesus told His disciples that the way to prepare is to keep watch.
Nothing is guaranteed, not even our next breath; Jesus told them to be ready.

Keep watch.
Be ready.
These are the two things Jesus told His disciples.
Jesus was not telling them to do calculations or make predictions.

Only the Father knows the day and the hour for all of us.
Jesus said to go about your daily life in readiness.
Go about your daily life keeping watch as you are living.
Go about your daily life, grateful to have the next breath, but always ready to meet Jesus.

I had no idea that three years after I left that beautiful city it would be destroyed.
My friend had no idea that a week after she returned home, a town in Italy would be no more.
The prayer of my heart is that I keep watch.
The prayer for my daily life is to be ready.

Neither of Jesus’ statements is a call to despair.
However, each of Jesus’ statements is a call to seriousness.
Each is a call for preparation.
Each is an admonition to get right with the Lord.

God the Father is sovereign.
He can call us home at any given moment.
Are you keeping watch?
Are you ready?

Those questions are vitally important.
Those questions need to be answered.
Live prepared.
Keep watch and be ready as you live your days for Him.