One Thing: 7 Days to Discover a Simpler FaithSample

ONE THING TO REMEMBER ~ President Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.” Lincoln wisely highlighted the importance of preparation in order to reach one’s goal. When we look at some of the most successful business people and athletes in the world, the common denominator in all of their stories is their extraordinary mental and physical preparation. 

Take NFL quarterback, Tom Brady, for instance. Since I cheer for the Pittsburgh Steelers, I’m not Brady’s biggest fan, but I can’t help but respect his discipline. Brady knows that every year, the first Sunday in February, the Super Bowl is coming. It’s not a surprise. He can count down the days. He knows it’s a reality. He wants to be successful. He wants to win. And he knows the only way he has a shot at winning is to be ready. So, he prepares mentally and physically for the event. Every day, he does what most of us aren’t willing to do: he gets up early, works out like a beast, and prepares his body and mind for the certain coming of Super Bowl Sunday. 

Far more important than training for something physical is your spiritual preparation for the second coming of Christ. The Lord’s return will be the culmination—the highest and most decisive point—of all of history. It will be an epic, final battle between good and evil, light and darkness. Every saga you’ve ever seen on the silver screen (and I hate to break it to you, fans, but this includes Star Wars) will pale in comparison to this fateful day. As a Jesus follower, this reality needs to be your ultimate focus. Of all the things to prepare for in life—sports, tests, graduation, a job, marriage, parenthood, retirement—the one thing for which we really need to prepare is Christ’s return.

Second Peter 3:8 says, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” The world may doubt or mock the Lord’s return, or it may seem as though you have all the time in the world to do what God has called you to do. The truth is: God is patient and on a different timetable than we are—and you need to be prepared for Jesus’s return. What are you doing today to prepare? Pray and ask the Lord for wisdom, discipline, and a holy game plan in order to be ready for Christ’s Second Coming.