Company Is Coming

But here's something interesting to think about: why do we clean so thoroughly for company? It's because we want our guests to feel welcome and comfortable. We want them to see that we care enough about them to prepare our very best. We're showing respect and love through our actions. Now, what if I told you that preparing for Jesus is similar, but instead of cleaning our houses, we need to prepare our hearts?

In our Bible lesson today, we read about John the Baptist, who lived about 2,000 years ago near the Jordan River. John had an important job - he was like God's advance team, preparing people for Jesus' ministry. Picture this: John wore rough camel hair clothes and ate locusts and wild honey. He wasn't trying to impress anyone with fancy clothes or smooth words. Instead, he preached with power and conviction, telling people, "Get ready! The Messiah is coming!" But when John told people to prepare for the Lord's coming, he wasn't talking about sweeping floors or organizing closets. He was talking about something much more important - preparing their hearts.

So what does it mean to prepare our hearts? John taught that people needed to repent of their sins. Now, 'repent' isn't just saying "I'm sorry." It's much deeper than that. Repenting means recognizing that we've done wrong, feeling genuinely sorry about it, and then making a complete turn-around in our behavior. It's like when you're walking in the wrong direction and you realize your mistake - you don't just slow down, you turn completely around and walk the other way. That's repentance - a complete change of heart and direction.

When people truly repented, John would baptize them in the Jordan River. This wasn't just getting wet - baptism was a powerful symbol. Going under the water represented dying to their old sinful ways, and coming up out of the water represented being raised to a new life with God. It was their public way of saying, "I'm serious about following God now." That's how John earned his nickname "John the Baptist."

Here's something amazing to consider: The Bible tells us that Jesus is coming again. Just like people in John's time needed to prepare their hearts, we need to prepare ours too. But why is this so important? Think about it this way - when Jesus returns, He's not just coming as a baby in a manger like at Christmas. He's coming as King of kings and Lord of lords. He's coming to judge the world and establish His perfect kingdom. That's a big deal! We want to be ready.

So how do we prepare our hearts today? We do it by confessing our sins - that means being completely honest with God about the wrong things we've done, thought, or said. It means admitting when we've been selfish, when we've hurt others with our words, when we've disobeyed our parents, or when we've ignored God's commands. The incredible news is that when we confess our sins, God doesn't just sweep them under the rug - He completely forgives us and makes our hearts clean. It's like getting a fresh start every single day!

Now here's something important that older kids like you can understand: keeping our hearts clean isn't a one-time thing, just like keeping our rooms clean isn't something we do once and forget about. Have you ever cleaned your room perfectly, and then a week later it looked like a disaster zone again? That's because staying clean requires daily effort. The same is true with our hearts. We can't ask God to forgive us once and then think we're good forever. Sin has a way of creeping back into our lives every single day.

This means we need to develop daily habits that keep our hearts ready for Jesus. What might those habits look like? First, we need to spend time in prayer every day - not just asking God for things, but talking to Him like the close friend He wants to be. Second, we need to read His Word, the Bible, regularly. God speaks to us through Scripture, showing us how to live and revealing more about His character. Third, we need to examine our hearts honestly each day, asking God to show us where we've fallen short and seeking His forgiveness.

But there's more! Preparing our hearts also means actively choosing to live differently. It means choosing kindness when someone is mean to us. It means choosing honesty even when a lie would get us out of trouble. It means choosing to help others instead of just thinking about ourselves. It means forgiving people who have hurt us, just like God forgives us.

Think about this: if you knew the President of the United States was coming to visit your school tomorrow, how would everyone prepare? The hallways would be spotless, the classrooms would be perfectly organized, and everyone would be on their best behavior. Well, someone far more important than any earthly president is coming - Jesus Christ, the King of the universe! Shouldn't we be even more excited to prepare for Him?

Here's a question for you to think about: What areas of your life might need some "heart cleaning" right now? Maybe it's an attitude problem, or perhaps you've been unkind to a sibling, or maybe you've been dishonest about something. Whatever it is, God already knows about it, and He's waiting for you to come to Him so He can forgive you and help you change.

Remember, Jesus is coming again! This isn't just an exciting thought - it's the most exciting reality in all of history. But just like we wouldn't want guests to find our house in chaos, we don't want Jesus to find our hearts unprepared. The wonderful news is that God gives us everything we need to get ready. He gives us His Holy Spirit to help us, His Word to guide us, and His forgiveness to clean us. All we have to do is come to Him with sincere hearts, ready to turn away from sin and toward Him.

Father, we thank You for sending Jesus and for the promise that He will come again. Help us to take seriously the work of preparing our hearts. Show us the areas where we need to repent and change. Forgive us for the things we do each day that don't please You - our selfish thoughts, our unkind words, our disobedient actions. Make our hearts completely clean so that we will be ready and excited for Jesus' return. Help us to live each day in a way that honors You. In Jesus' precious name we pray. Amen.