It’s Time to Get Ready

One of the most frustrating aspects of fighting fires is turning up to help a resident whose home is completely unprepared for the coming attack.

If the householder had cleared out their gutters, raked away the leaves and removed the piles of branches from near their home, then it would be so much easier to save the home and prevent the heartache.

When you live in a fire-prone area, it is vital to hear the warnings and prepare for the coming threat, and that’s why the Rural Fire Service have annual ‘Get Ready’ events to educate and motivate people to prepare for the fire season.

For us in Jamberoo, the threat is real, with a long, dry, hot summer forecast, and the undeniable reality that it’s been over half a century since the ‘Black Monday’ fires that saw the escarpment burn all the way from Berry to the northern Illawarra.

We should all be prepared because the threat is known and real, and we are all able to do something to minimise the danger.

In the Bible we read about another certain threat for which people must get ready, and that’s the return of Jesus.

As Christians regularly say together in the Apostles Creed, “Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead.”

When Jesus returns it will bring an end to the pain, injustice and sadness of this world, and even though that judgement seems scary, it’s not something that Jesus’ followers should fear.

For we can trust the Bible when it says that “everyone who believes in Jesus will have their sins forgiven.” (Acts 10:43).

Jesus has given us a way to survive his coming judgement, but it means we need to spiritually ‘Get Ready’ by asking Jesus for forgiveness and trusting him as our loving leader.

His second coming is as certain as this year’s hot summer… so take the opportunity now to get ready for judgement day by taking refuge in his loving arms. 

JODIE McNEILL