Well Prepared

Just over 10 days to Christmas Day, and some will be asking, 'Am I well prepared for what is coming?'
But these are days of exciting opportunity, and plans for our World Record Attempt at our Carol Service are going well. The Lord is providing us with opportunities to reach out - and will we be well prepared enough to take them?
Reflecting on the activity of God, in the Christmas story, we can see how people varied in their reactions to God's activity.
The old couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth, to be the parents of John the Baptist, show these different reactions. As we know  Zechariah was slow on the uptake, while his wife was much more eager for God's activity in her life. He is struck dumb, and she is excited. 'Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” (Luke 1.19-20) When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. Soon afterwards his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” (Luke 1.23-25)
These well known Bible stories remind me that each of us has the challenge to respond to what God wants to be doing in our lives and around us.
We can miss the chance to be fully engaged, like Zechariah, or be eagerly involved, like Elizabeth. 
So I ask, 'Are you well prepared? - not just for the Christmas season, but for God's activity in your life? 
 It is such an amazing privilege to see the Lord's activity in the lives of ordinary people in our Church. I have been very excited to hear great stories in recent days. But we can all be the location of miracles and wonderful answers to prayer, if we choose to be well prepared!
Best wishes,
Richard