“Are you anxious to leave for Cambodia?” a good friend asked me recently.

As I thought about her question, I realized that indeed I am anxious to get to Cambodia—to meet the people, try the food and work in the field to which the Lord has called our family. However, I also realized I was not yet ready to leave. There were still preparations to make—stuff to sort and get rid of, character traits to refine, visas to get, packing to do and many other details. Most importantly, there were relationships to strengthen so they will be able to last through the difficulty of time and distance.

In worship this morning, I read about heaven. My heart was filled with a great desire to be there—to see Jesus face to face, eat from the Tree of Life and enjoy the companionship of loved ones old and new. But we are not yet ready to leave. There are still preparations to make before we can depart this earth. There is still work to be done, characters to refine and people to reach. Most important, our relationship with Jesus needs to be strengthened so it will to be able to take us through the trials ahead.

The price for heaven has been paid. We are in the final days of preparation. Let us be diligent in the work before us, putting our whole hearts into completing the final preparations so we are fully ready to leave.

“I saw that we should not put off the coming of the Lord. Said the angel: “Prepare, prepare, for what is coming upon the earth. Let your works correspond with your faith.” I saw that the mind must be stayed upon God, and that our influence should tell for God and His truth. We cannot honor the Lord when we are careless and indifferent. We cannot glorify Him when we are desponding. We must be in earnest to secure our own soul’s salvation, and to save others. All importance should be attached to this, and everything besides should come in secondary” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol 1, p. 123).

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