The end of January is often a time of preparation.

People all over Australia are getting ready to send their kids back to school, or to go back to work themselves.

They are organising Australia Day parties and outdoor activities for the end of Summer, before life gets busy again.

Tim and I are very much a part of this as Tim prepares to go back to school to teach in a few short weeks and I plan and prepare for the youth ministry here in Jamberoo, as well as pursuing some other part-time work alongside my ongoing visa applications!

But the Good Lord in his Good Book tells his people to be preparing for something different, and not just in light of Summer coming to an end.

Scripture tells Christians to be ready because the Son of God is coming back.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:42-44)

So what does being ready look like?

It’s about knowing that Jesus, the Son of God, is coming, and living a life to honour him full of faith in him and his saving grace.

It’s about making every decision in life as though Jesus might come back today.

So as you prepare for all sorts of things in the coming days and weeks, ask yourself if you are prepared for Christ’s return.

RAYNE ORANGE

Whether we admit it or not, we all are influenced in one way or another by our conscience.

It’s our built-in sensor that seeks to prevent us from acting or speaking in a way that goes against our values and principles.

Our conscience is something we all are born with, even though is an imperfect tool in our imperfect bodies.

This week at the week-long CMS Summer School conference, the speaker Gary Miller highlighted four problems that can affect our consciences.

Firstly, we can have a seared conscience (1 Timothy 4:2). It doesn’t work very well anymore because it’s stopped being able to feel properly, having been damaged by neglect, like hard skin on the soul of our feet that stops the pain of stepping on sharp rocks or hot bitumen.

Secondly, we can have a defiled conscience (Titus 1:15). It doesn’t work very well anymore because it no longer notices sinful and unholy things, having been desensitised by viewing and performing all sorts of sins. It’s like when a person watches so many horror movies that they stop being shocked by the violence.

Thirdly, we can have a weak conscience (1 Corinthians 8:7). It doesn’t work very well because it may over-react to things, being misinformed by false teaching. It’s like when someone takes offence at something that the Bible teaches to be mostly harmless.

And finally, we can have an evil conscience (Hebrews 10:22). It doesn’t work well because it has been reprogrammed to do the opposite for which it was intended. Instead of alerting us about evil, it now encourages us to pursue sinful acts.

In response, Gary encouraged us from God’s word to re-awaken and heal our conscience.

In answer to our prayers, God’s Spirit can restore our seared, defiled, weak and evil consciences, and give us the gift of being able to recognise and avoid sin when we’re tempted.

Will you pray with me that God will heal and re-awaken our consciences?

JODIE McNEILL