Steve Sikes Blog  

“Preparation: the work or planning involved in making something or somebody ready or in putting something together in advance.”

Like many Christian mothers, my mother started praying for me before the cradle.  At times, it must have seemed somewhat hopeless – her prayers for my spiritual growth and change – but her knees only revealed her perseverance.  Mom set the stage in my spiritual preparation by giving me Scripture to memorize at a young age (before five).  And when she would correct me, she would often use Scripture to do it.

I remember coming home one summer from college and sharing a joke (just a little “shady”) to my family around the dining room table.  I don’t know where Dad was, but he wasn’t there that day.  After the joke everyone laughed except Mom.  I still remember Mom’s eyes as she looked at me with love and not a little disappointment, and said, “Steve, you will be held accountable for every idle word you say.” 

Then she quoted Matthew 12:36-37: “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” 

I remember feeling so ashamed.  Preparation of the heart is hard, and in some cases (like mine), takes a lot of time!  I apologized to Mom and vowed to myself never to tell a “shady” joke again, no matter how funny it is.  I’ve really tried to remain faithful to that 36 year-old vow.

I say all of this to simply state the following: Scriptures shared in love by someone who lives Scripture, is a powerful tool in preparing hearts for God’s will and use. 

As preparations are still being made for the construction of our new church building, may we voluntarily open our hearts to God’s construction on us and say, “O Lord, prepare me!”  God is good all the time.  Mr. Steve