I have been praying and praying and praying for showings, but I never really know for sure if we will have one on any given day or not. So I just have to act like we will and make sure everything is ready to go. Keeping the house "picture perfect" is quite difficult with two little girls and two little boys who don't understand the frustration I experience when I finish cleaning up in one room only to find the floor covered with toys in another room. Not to mention graham cracker crumbs scattered about and a sippy cup tipped over and dripping milk on the carpet.
Needless to say, I have been praying for a quick sell :) However long this process takes, though, I will do my best to ensure that the house is ready for a showing on any given day at any given time. As I was wiping down the counters, sweeping the kitchen floor, and putting shoes away for the 103rd time this morning, God reminded me of something far more important than having my house ready for a possible showing (well, this morning it was an actual showing, but still...).
Are you ready for Me to come back?
Are you working this hard to make sure everything is order when I return?
Are you this earnest in waiting to see Me?
Do you have this same anticipation as you look forward to the trumpet sounding to announce My arrival as you do for the phone to ring to let you know someone wants to schedule a showing?
I immediately thought of the various parables Jesus told to emphasize how important being ready for His return is. The ten bridesmaids came to mind. As did the three servants each entrusted with a different amount of their master's money based on their abilities. I did a search for more passages where Jesus spoke of being ready to welcome Him back, and this one about the homeowner stuck out to me as well. That triggered my memory of the verse where Jesus likens His return to that of a thief in the night. Ironically, the next verse is about how labor starts for a woman suddenly, without too much advance warning. Being a birth instructor and doula (now on call for my clients estimated to have their baby in December), I appreciated the comparison. No matter what the illustration or story, the basic principle is the same:
"You must be ready all the time,
for the Son of Man will come when least expected."
(Luke 12:40)
Thankfully, I had a little advance warning for the showing we had this morning. I got a text yesterday asking if a realtor could the house from 10-11 am. I wanted to say NO. Don't you realize I have 4 small children during the day, three of whom take naps sometime between 8:30 and 10:30? Don't you realize that will throw off the schedule? Don't you realize that I will have four cranky kiddos on my hands for the rest of the day? But of course, I didn't say any of those things. Instead, I simply responded YES and prayed God would help me figure out two things: first, how to get the house ready and keep it ready with four small children who want to play and second, how to get all four kids out of the house and to the park without use of a car. Well, He answered my prayer on both accounts. I buckled the boys into the double stroller, put Kellah in the sling, and had Coralyn walk beside us as we made our way to the church park nearby. When we left the house was as clean as it has ever been in the past 5 and half years that we have been living here!
We had a wonderful time at the park. Kellah even decided that she was big enough to go down the tunnel slide all by herself!!! We all made it back in one piece too. I was hoping Coralyn would be tired out from all the walking and playing, but oh no, she is going strong, playing away with Kellah and Abigail in her room, getting out all those toys I so carefully put away earlier today! :)
I have no idea what the people who came today thought of the house. I am hoping they loved it and make an offer. If not, I will just be ready for the next showing, whenever that may be.
And as I work to keep the house ready at all times, I want to do better to keep my heart ready at all times for Jesus' return. Who knows, today could be the day He comes back!
Then, I really won't have to worry about keeping the kitchen floor sparkling or all the gazillion toys put away or the counters cleared off or the carpet vacuumed.
Regardless, I want to be ready when that trumpet sounds and Jesus comes down out of the clouds. I want to be ready to run into His outstretched arms. I want to be ready to hear Him tell me, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Well done." I want to be ready to spend eternity with my Jesus!!!!
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