In July of 1959, the Queen of England visited Chicago. The city made careful preparations for her coming. The waterfront was readied for the docking of her ship. The wastebaskets were painted and the red carpet was rolled out. Many hotels were alerted. When the Drake Hotel was informed, the manager replied, “We are making no plans for the Queen; our rooms are always ready for royalty.”
In a similar way, spiritual preparation must be continual if we are to be prepared for the coming of the King of kings. Indeed, Jesus will come again to take His followers home to that place He has prepared for them (Acts 1:11; Jn. 14:1-3). Thus, it can be said: “Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.” Nowhere is this so evident as in the first epistle of John, where the apostle says, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:2-3). If we would be prepared for the coming of Christ, we must constantly and continuously fix our hope on Him by purifying our hearts in obedience to His truth (1 Pet. 1:22). For when Jesus comes again, there will be no time for the hurried frenzy of last-minute preparation. Jesus says, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming” (Mt. 24:42).
— Glen Elliott —