Be Ye Also Ready….

Sabbath Devotional Reflections

By Dr. Sylvan Lashley 

University of the Southern Caribbean

Matt 24:44 - “Be ye also ready for in such  an hour as you think not, the Son of Man Cometh” 

The concept of readiness rises to the fore in eschatology as Christians conjure up their own images in their calculus of the Second Coming.  The gap period between the pronouncement of Jesus in Matthew 24 and the actual appearance beckons analysis.  Is readiness a pious, quiet retreat into a corner given to much prayer and fasting, a single act, a lifestyle or what?  Throughout the gospels, Jesus uses several examples of readiness—the virgins with lamps ready and trimmed, the picture of a bridegroom, and the parable of the master of the house and the thief. There is uncertainty in the hour of His return, but certainty in the fact that He will. Noah’s role was to engage his public by building an ark. He knew the flood was coming soon, but just not exactly when.    We are all building an ark, for that rainy day. We are building because we believe, without a doubt, that a glorious event will take place.  Therefore the act of waiting is one of engagement and action rather than simple inaction. Our glorious belief shows evidence by our more glorious present actions.

In 1976, Francis Schaeffer published a major documentary, How Should we then Live: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture. Schaeffer surveyed ancient Rome, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment,  the rise of modern science, portrayed the decline of societal values, the new order of decline, violent chaos and growing shortages and economic uncertainty.  His vignettes formed the basis for the rhetorical question, "how shall we then live?"  Translated into Adventist eschatology, Schaeffer’s work has meaning and relevance.  How shall we then live as Seventh-day Adventist Christians in the 21^st century?  

The purpose of our individual lives and church organizations, whether schools, universities, unions, conferences or hospitals is to prepare the world around us for the soon and immediate return of Jesus through the good news of salvation.  The urgency of the certainty becomes paramount because we are even more uncertain about the timing.  How shall we then live?  My rhetorical response is that we shall live by responsible engagement at multiple levels and through diverse means. The Christian should be actively engaged in spreading the good news to others, whether it be by preaching, witnessing, lifestyle and our organizations such as universities, and hospitals are institutional means for the delivery of the gospel. We have resorted to many meetings and committees in our systems to gather politically correct consensus, such that the most of the time is spent in planning rather than doing, but our bias should be always towards action.  Engagement calls us forth thus:

1.   Outreach to those around us, not merely contented with in-reach activities of self-nurture

2.   Knowledge content—spiritual mental preparedness and acuity through personal Bible study, discussion and reflection.

3.   Attitude and lifestyle, as exemplars to the world around us

4.   Perception –an ability to understand the signs and wonders around us

Our universities and schools should differentiate from other universities toward a natural comparative and contrived competitive advantage by a holistic curriculum that prepares students for radical and active engagement through witnessing, and lifestyle. For that very reason, we here at the University of the Southern Caribbean have determined now to review our curricula to produce a USC person who is getting ready for the Second Coming, and helping others to get ready for the same. For this we remain unapologetic—each graduate of the university shall follow a four-pronged plan upon entry—an academic plan of coursework leading to an accredited degree that allows entry into the job world, a spiritual life development plan leading to a personal decision to follow Christ and a commitment to service, a personal-social development plan leading to a sense of well-being and self-actualization, and a health/lifestyle plan that encourages healthy choices, leading to a realization that is conversant with the knowledge that our bodies are the temple of God. 

        Ultimately, we must prepare each student in attendance, whether of our denomination or not, to be a gospel evangel of health and wellness, spiritual development,  family and community, occupation and work, and personal self-actualization. This then encompasses the full state of energized and active readiness, through the gospel of active, visible or invisible engagement to make a difference wherever we are, to build some ark for surely the glorious rain of the soon-coming Saviour is fast approaching.  How then shall YOU live?