What if you had a dream to meet someone who is very important to you? Maybe you want to meet the president of the United States, a “movie star”, or your favorite athlete. We probably all have someone we admire and wish to meet one day. We all have our own reasons-they are rich, powerful, successful, famous?? Meeting this person might represent everything you aspire to achieve. Maybe those things will rub off on you. We get excited about meeting people we think are of “high importance.”
I remember wanting to meet Billy Graham. My parents owned a Christian bookstore in New Mexico and turns out his wife’s sister lived in the same town. Billy Graham came in the store one day and my Mom called to tell me he was in the store. I quickly hopped in my car and drove down to the store (less than a mile away). There he was in t-shirt and denim overalls! As he walked around the store and listening to him talk, I realized this guy thinks he’s just like the rest of us. He was no more important than anybody else and not famous.
Maybe you prayed and asked God to orchestrate things in your life so that you could meet your “dream” person. Everything works out so an appointment is set up for you to meet that person. This is so important to you that you are bound and determined not to miss what you’ve been expecting and anticipating. What would you do to get ready for the meeting or appointment?
First of all, I would start planning before I go. I must be wise with my time so I’m ready. I need to decide what I want to look like so I carefully choose what I am going to wear. I figure out what time I will need to leave to be on time. I have a plan in place.
Secondly, I need to add action to that plan. I would set my alarm clock to wake me up in plenty of time to get ready. I would tell my husband if I sleep through my alarm, and I’m not up by a certain time, wake me up. I would do everything in my power to make sure I am ready to go meet this person because this is a very exciting day!
I have a very special “person” in my life that I can’t wait to meet. What if I told you we will ALL meet this very special person one day? Not everyone wants to meet this person but to me it is the most important appointment. Will I be ready on time? When I met Billy, I wasn’t ready. I didn’t have time to change clothes. Will you be ready to meet this special person? You can plan the meeting but life doesn’t always happen the way we plan.
If you had time, what would you do to get ready?
First, I have started planning for this meeting since I first learned of Him. I have studied His Word, worshiped Him, listened for His voice, and just gotten to know Him more each day. I have met Him in all these ways but I hope to meet Him someday face to face. “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; but then face to face.” 1 Cor. 13:12 I am fully known TO God right now but one day I will fully know Him and see Him and all will be made clear.
Why do I want to meet Him? Partly, because of all He has done for me.
What has he done for me? He has done more for me than any human could possibly ever do.
He created me. He loves me. He saved me. He has blessed me. He has chosen me. He has redeemed me. He gives me peace. He gives me grace. He gives me mercy. He has never failed me. He leads me into paths of righteousness. “The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad!” Psalm 126:3
What is this very special person’s name? Let me introduce you to Him. His name is Jesus.
And the greatest thing He ever did for me was to be crucified on the cross but He didn’t stay on that cross. He was buried in a tomb and was there 3 days. He arose from the grave because He wasn’t a mortal man. He was God Himself, who lived among His people. He died for us. He died for me. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for His friends.” John 15:13 Did the people you so desired to meet lay down their life for you? Of course not. They are humans like you and me. We will all stand on the same level ground on judgement day.
It’s alright to admire and meet “famous” people you look up to as long as you recognize God is everything more and greater than you could possibly meet in any human. “Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours….For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you ALONE are God!” Psalm 86:8-10 He has given proof of His greatness by being raised from the dead!
Secondly, I know I won’t miss this appointment so I don’t need an alarm clock. No one will escape this meeting. We may run away from appointments here on earth, but this meeting is inevitable. This appointment is with God. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good of bad.” 2 Cor. 5:10 We all have to face God, whether we are believers or not, rich or poor and prepared or not. It is wise to get prepared for that day because this meeting/appointment WILL happen but nobody knows the day or time.
Jesus is the most important person I could ever introduce you to. He is the greatest man who ever lived. He changed the world forever by living, dying, rising again and being my friend. Time magazine once wrote of Jesus: “The single most powerful figure in all human history has been Jesus of Nazareth… no one else’s life has proved remotely as powerful and enduring as that of Jesus.” The greatest men on earth don’t even compare to Him.