God Prepares Us

“God Prepares Us”
by Pastor Kent Munsey
December 27, 2020

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 

Ephesians 2:10

Our God is a planner. He prepares us for what he has for us. Who could have been prepared for what 2020 was going to bring? Yet, Jeremiah 29:11 says the Lord has plans for us and will not forsake us, and Ephesians 2:10 tells us that God has prepared good works for us and that we are his workmanship. 

God was faithful to speak to us this year and to prepare us for what was ahead in 2020. In our series on faithfulness at the beginning of the year, we talked about wanting to be faithful to God, to be faithful to others, and faithful while waiting in delays, detours, and discouragement, to be faithful in the fight and faithful when we fail. God blesses the faithful. God wants us to be faithful even with the things we don’t want to do. 

In March, we looked at the parable about the friend at midnight, illustrating the importance of persistence in prayer. We noted the importance of prayer to give us the proper perspective and needed passion. Our last message before the shut-down was about laying a firm foundation. In the storms of life, we need to form a foundation in Christ. Our spiritual practices plant our feet on solid rock. Although we didn't know what was ahead of us, God was speaking to us as he was leading and preparing us.

1 Corinthians says no eye has seen no ear has heard what God has for those who love him. We have spiritual wisdom inside of us although we cannot predict what each season is going to bring. He is always preparing us.

There is power in looking back at all that God has done and seeing all of his goodness and faithfulness in our lives. It produces thanksgiving and worship. Job says the Lord gives and takes away (Job 1:21). With all that had happened in his life, Job declared that God was good and faithful. God had prepared him for all that was ahead of him. 

Traditionally on this last Sunday of the year, we meet in life groups to consider all that God has done. This year stands alone. The pandemic has produced so much pain and loss and taken loved ones from us. There has been social unrest. As we were isolated in quarantine, we have had to fight like never before. We have had to look within and ask ourselves significant questions. God was preparing us for what was ahead.

Oftentimes we tend to run in the opposite direction of an opportunity because we feel unworthy and unprepared. God has prepared good works for us, but we still have to do the hard work of preparing ourselves. The apostle Paul told Timothy to be ready in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). 

The truth is that we will never feel fully ready for what God has prepared for us. Even when we are prepared, it does not produce an attitude of readiness and confidence. However, just because we don't feel ready doesn't mean that we are not ready. We have to position ourselves in a place that decides to step into everything that God has prepared for us. We are ready because of what God has done. Our confidence should not come from pride or arrogance but from the humility of understanding that there are no perfect people or perfect circumstances. 
Let’s posture ourselves in a place that is ready for anything God has for us: ready for the storm or the calm, ready for the open door or the closed door, ready to fight the good fight of faith, and ready to rest in God's promises. We need to do the hard work of preparing ourselves--then we will know that even when we don’t feel prepared we are. 

Everything that we've faced in 2020 has been too big and too much. Who could have been prepared? Our God is prepared. If 2020 could teach us anything it would be this: God is neither shaken nor overwhelmed, and he is prepared. He will never put us in a place that he hasn’t prepared us for. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). There is nothing we cannot do. Nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37).

Reflection/Discussion Questions:

1. What in the past year have you felt particularly unprepared for? 

2. What are the ways that you can see how God was preparing you for what he had for you? 

3. What steps are you taking to position yourself in readiness for what God has for you in 2021?

4. What aspect of God’s preparation are you most grateful for?