Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: Prepared

One of the most important things an artist can do to set themselves up for success is being prepared.  Having the proper materials in an easily accessible location allows one to jump into the creative process with little fuss or bother.  Personally, the hassle of getting all my supplies out of the garage and setting up a workspace somewhere in my house keeps me from creating as often as I should be doing.  Getting in the habit of carrying a sketch book and basic drawing supplies allows for ideas to be captured when inspiration strikes or for ideas to be processed/worked out in real time.  There have been many ideas lost because I was not prepared with the necessary tools.  Preparation is key to a successful and fulfilling  artistic life. 

 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 
 Matthew 24:44

Reading the Bible. Praying. Teaching a class at church. Leading a Bible study. Mentoring.  Going on a mission trip. Giving. Sharing about your relationship with God with someone you love/care about.  Serving others in some capacity. Speaking words of kindness.  Loving others.  

I'm not ready to do that! I'm not prepared to do that! I'm not qualified to do that! 

   We are often extremely prepared to provide an excuse for why we can't or aren't doing something.  Maybe it is because we don't feel adequate, a bad experience from the past,  have a low self esteem, afraid we'll have to give up something we don't want to give up, have to do something we don't want to do (missionary to ______).....or a host of other reasons.  The thing is...we don't know how much time we have to live this life God has given us.  We do not know when he will return or our expiration date. We need to be prepared to live the life we've been given for glory, to know him, and to make him know.  That looks different for all of us.  However, we need to set ourselves up to accomplish as much as possible each day we are given.  What is it that you need to do to insure you are prepared to live this life to the fullest?