Preparation

Meditation
2 Timothy 2:20,21--Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver bowls, but also those of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

 
Scenario One
This week we will be tested.  We will be offered the plate of sin and dine.  We will be offended by the actions of the insensitive and let them know it.  We will be pushed when we needed pulling, corrected when we desired encouragement, ignored but desirous of attention, and needing rest but called to serve.  We will bathe in self-pity while battling critical thoughts.  We may be innocent before the eyes of those who see us, and yet be miserably impure inside. At the end of the week, we are morally beaten by the everyday storms of life and ticked off that God was nowhere near when we needed Him.
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Scenario Two
This week we will be tested.  We will be offered the plate of sin but refuse to eat.  We will be offended by the actions of the insensitive and be gracious in our response.  We will be pushed when we needed pulling, corrected when we desired encouragement, ignored yet sustained in God’s love, and needing rest but finding strength in Christ to serve.  Though pressed on all sides, we will find joy in God’s word.  We will resolve that as we see problems we will pray.  We will not let the actions of others deter us from glorifying our Father in heaven.  At the end of the week, we are amazed at how awesome God is and what a blast it is to serve the King.
 
Inspiration
Preparation is not something suddenly accomplished, but a process steadily maintained.  It is easy to imagine that we get to a settled state of experience where we are complete and ready; but in work for God it is always preparation and preparation.  Moral preparation comes before intellectual preparation, because moral integrity is of more practical value than any amount of mental insight.—Oswald Chambers in So Send I You
 
©1997 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)