Be Prepared

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

“Be Prepared” are words every Boy Scout knows well. It has been their motto since 1907. In his book, Scouting for Boys, Robert Baden-Powell explained: “The scout Motto is: BE PREPARED which means you are always in a state of readiness in mind and body to do your DUTY.”

The Apostle Peter, though not a Scout, wrote about the same thing — to be prepared. He knew hard days lay just ahead for his fellow believers. After reminding them of their security as children of God [1 Peter 1.1-5], he gave them two specific ways to prepare for the coming trials. Those divinely inspired words were good for his day, and for ours too.

His first instruction relates to the mind. What you believe will have a direct bearing on your response to life’s problems. If you trust that God is on your side making the best of every situation in your life, you will feel less threatened by life’s difficulties. Negativity, whether from anger, fear, worry, or envy, can make hard times even worse. So, be prepared. Start with biblical thinking. I like the older translations that say, “…gird up the loins of your mind.” That’s an interesting way to say, “Be Prepared.”

The next instruction had to do with your spirit. He wrote, “…be sober in spirit…” The biblical idea of sober in spirit is to maintain balance. In other words, resist quick fixes and refuse to embrace ungodly ideas or solutions, all of which are designed by Satan to turn us from God’s way. Strengthened by the Spirit, we can learn to stand firm in crisis and steadfastly follow the Lord. 

A true Christ follower is always prepared for whatever the future may bring, good or bad, rough or smooth, with little or a lot, we are of good cheer, for Christ has overcome the world [John 16.33].

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober in spirit, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1.13