Grace and peace to you from Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

Over the last month I have spent some time reorganizing. 

Part of the reorganization is the accumulation of home furnishings that has at least doubled with the contents of my mom’s condo and now the return of my daughter to our home in St. Paul. 

I have to confide that I am feeling a little lost and a bit overwhelmed. 

Perhaps you, like myself, take comfort from Jesus, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” 

Words of comfort that might sound the alarm that I am getting more stuff. 

Reading a bit further we hear that this is really an invitation to downsize, to seek what it is we really need and give away the extra to others in need. 

As a former volunteer firefighter I prided myself on being ready. 

Ready to answer the pager and immediately report to the station to whatever situation presented us. 

Ideally we would have a crew show up within 2-3 minutes. 

When I went to bed at night I would also have my clothes ready, car keys by the door, and for 21 years I slept lightly to answer the call. 

Luke’s gospel paints a clear picture of what readiness looks like, “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit. 

Are you ready? 

A question that I usually answer, “Ready for what?” 

Ready for the Kingdom of God?

Now that’s a whole different kind of question, isn’t it? 

In the last few weeks we have had heard readings and discussed at Casual Sunday what it might look like and mean to have enough. 

For many of us, being prepared sounds like a financial planning question. A question that is full of important information. 

God is doing everything to empower and equip us to be ready and prepared to receive love. 

The love of God for us and all of creation. 

In Genesis you may remember the first game of Hide-N-Seek. 

Adam and Eve, recently aware of their nakedness, felt like they didn’t have enough. 

They were no longer comfortable and weren’t ready for what they saw of each other. 

To show up naked and unprepared left them no choice but to try and hide. I can only imagine that God was somewhat amused at their attempt to hide. 

Much like if you have ever played Hide-N-Seek with a young child and they still believed that by simply covering their eyes they had disappeared and they were hiding. 

I wonder if we still don't play a little hide and seek with God. 

Picture this, “You hear the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden, in the cool of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”

But the Lord God called out to the man, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked and I hid myself.” 

Jesus says, “Do not be afraid little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” 

Where are you hiding from God? 

I have left myself wondering that very question? 

When I don’t show up, or attempt to hide, God is still seeking me, looking. 

God has not only created us and this beautiful world, God wants to give us even more through eternal life in heaven. 

A life that is the loving kindness of Jesus dying for us in love, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” 

Paul's letter to the Hebrews spells out the gift of life to Abraham and Sarah who were childless until by faith they had Isaac and Jacob. 

Faith in God that sees all of us, remembers us, and promises a heavenly home. Are you prepared to build this kingdom with God? 

At times, being prepared is simply showing up. 

When the phone rings in the middle of the night and someone, a family member needs help, you listen, you ask how you can help, and you pray that God is with you. 

Being ready is preparing your heart for love. 

Love is so overwhelming that it may take your breath away. 

A love where God always shows up no matter how hard we try to hide.

Jesus invites us to prepare to share love by showing up. 

Jesus showed up in the world to teach us the finest example of love. A love that comes through a relationship of faith and hope. 

Faith that you are a blessed child of God, a God who will look for any lost sheep. 

Luke turns our thinking away from ourselves and directly on a God who will return and serve us. 

Imagine what that looks like when our creator shows up in our life looking directly at us, being with us, serving us. 

Being ready is being prepared to be who you are, to share your time, talents, and treasures with everyone around you. 

I believe that God will come again and see what we have built here on earth. Have we made ourselves ready to fling the door open and welcome God? 

Do we trust that God has provided abundantly that we having been sharing what we have been given? 

“You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” Amen