26 Our One Business

Our One Business "Prepare to meet your God!"Amos 4:12

Sinners have wandered from God. They have no disposition to return unto him. They desire him to let them alone. They are displeased when he comes near to them. They say, "Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of your ways!" They continue to wander farther and farther from him. They are as sheep going astray. "All we like sheep have gone astray — we have turned every one to his own way." We have turned our back upon God. We have closed our eyes to exclude the light of his glory. We have wandered on in darkness. But sinners and God must meet. This is plainly revealed in the holy Scriptures. The day is fixed. The hour is hastening. The arrangements are made. We are summoned to appear before him. The meeting will be most solemn. The most momentous consequences depend on it.

God and sinners must meet — it is necessary that they should. God will clear his character. He will refute the calumnies of his foes. He will cause every one of his enemies to face him. Each one shall answer for himself. Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God.

We must meet him — this is certain. Justice demands it. Truth has published it. Nothing can possibly prevent it. O how important it is, that we prepare for it! We are not prepared in our natural state — but prepared or unprepared — we must meet! But suppose we should be summoned in an unprepared state! The supposition is fearful. It is possible. It may be probable. If it should be, look at the difference between the parties meeting: A holy God — and a polluted creature. A just God — and a criminal. A jealous God — and a rebel taken in arms against him.

Consider too, the circumstances under which we shall meet. It will be a meeting of foes — sinners are enemies to God, and God will appear the enemy of the sinner who dies in rebellion against him. He will say, "As for these my enemies, who would have me to reign over them — bring them forth and slay them before me!"

It will be a meeting of the just judge — and a guilty criminal. One who has violated the best of laws, rebelled against the best of Sovereigns, and refused to be pardoned and reconciled when urgently entreated. The judge is bound by law to punish, and the criminal before him is a convicted rebel. What a dreadful meeting!

Every one should prepare to meet God. We cannot avoid the meeting, however much we may desire it; we ought therefore to set ourselves seriously to prepare for it. We must meet God, the question is: In what character shall we meet him? Shall we meet him as a friend — or a foe? Shall we meet him as a pardoned, restored, and beloved child — or as a hardened, perverse, and guilty criminal. You are called upon to seriously consider — in what character will you meet God? Be ready with your account which must be presented to God. If you die out of Christ — then you must account: For every sin. For every duty you have neglected. For every talent you have allowed to lie idle, or have put to an improper use. For time squandered. For a bible neglected. For a throne of grace despised. For the ministry of the word disregarded. For vain thoughts. For idle words. For improper desires. For unlawful deeds. For the lack of exact conformity to God’s holy law in thought, word, and deed. For a life of sin. For presenting to God a nature impure and unfit for Heaven. Is this the case? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself. But if it is, how can you answer for one sin of a thousand, or how can you give a satisfactory account for any one at all. What will you then do. Mercy will have left the throne — and stern impartial justice will fill it. You will be without excuse. You will be like the man at the marriage feast without the wedding garment, to whom the King, when he came in to see the guests, said, "Friend, how did you get in here — not having on a wedding garment? And he was speechless!" The garment was provided and had no doubt been presented to him — but he refused it and chose to appear in his own clothing, contrary to the law of the feast, and therefore he had not one word to say. He could offer no excuse. The Lord has provided a salvation for sinners, it is presented to them by the gospel; they are invited, exhorted, and besought to avail themselves of it; they refuse, they meet God in an unprepared state, and what can they say? What excuse can they make?

Reader, when you meet God, expect him to be and do just as his word declares. He will appear as the just God, glorious in holiness — and will render to every one according to his works. He has informed you before hand, he summons you to appear before him, he commands you to prepare for the interview, even now his voice may be heard, saying, "Prepare to meet your God!"

Therefore if you are an unconverted sinner, repent. Have you been thoughtless? Think, for the subject demands it. Have you been careless? Seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, for your case requires it. Have you been trifling with eternal realities? Beware, lest he take you away with a stroke; then a great ransom cannot deliver you. Are you vacillating? Decide. Decide at once, for there is no time to be lost. Are you anxious? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Cast your soul upon him. Commit yourself unto him. He is able to save you. He is willing. He will save you. He will save you now. Are you a Christian indeed? Be diligent that you may be found by him in peace, without spot, and blameless. Then, in your case the meeting will be a blessed one. It will be a meeting of friends, who have for a time been separated — but who will never more be separated. It will be the meeting of a loving Father, with his beloved child, who has come home to reside with him forever. It will be a meeting between the Master and his faithful servant, whom he intends to reward for all his services on earth. It will be the meeting of the Savior — with one for whom he labored, suffered, and died, who has been saved by his grace, and is now come to share in his glory! Blessed, and glorious meeting this!

God is coming! We must soon meet him! We must meet him prepared — or unprepared; as friends — or as foes. We shall soon be commended and rewarded by him — or be condemned and punished with everlasting destruction. We are warned now — that we may escape then. We are exhorted to prepare — that we may be welcomed to his glory when he appears. Those only who are ready, will be accepted of him in that day: as it is written, "And those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast — and the door was shut!"

If unprepared, we shall be eternally excluded from his kingdom and glory. Be therefore ready, for in such an hour as you think not — your Lord will come. He says, "Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." Revelation 16:15. He is even now on his way, the distant rumbling of his chariot wheels may be heard. He comes, he comes to judge the world in righteousness, and the people with his truth. The great day of wrath is at hand. The day of vengeance is in his heart, and the year of his redeemed has come. "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him!" Jude 1:14-15.

Hark! from the highest Heavens,
from the lowest Hell,
from the cross of Calvary,
from the Word of God,
from the open grave,
from the earnest preacher —
a voice proceeds, it is directed to you, it cries in solemn tones, "Prepare, Prepare, prepare to meet your God!"