Real and Ready

Every employer looks for certain skills and characteristics in potential employees: knowledge, experience, dependability, integrity, work ethic, etc. then uses his best judgment before hiring. Through the apostle Paul, God said: "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season ..." (2 Timothy 4:1-2, NASB). Let's make sure we get the time reference: in and out of season ... at all times! Oswald Chambers describes some Believers as "spiritually unemployable" because they are neither inclined nor inspired to testify of The Gospel at any time ... neither in-season nor out-of-season - how tragic! When life comes at us with its disappointments, grief, hurts, circumstances, etc., we are often unprepared to respond with Christ-likeness because we haven't heeded God's charge to "be ready" at all times. Only time spent with The Father in study and prayer and fellowship prepares us for true inspiration; Chambers refers to those times as "exceptional moments" when it is God Who makes us really His and ready to testify of Who He is. As for me, I don't care to be identified as one "unemployable" for God's work; my prayer and plan is to at all times be ... real and ready.