“Fixin To Get Ready”

Here in the United States, “Fixin to get ready” is a colloquial expression often used in the deep south. It essentially means: “getting ready to get ready.” In other words, it reflects inaction. Have you ever found yourself fixin to get ready to do something but never doing it? As a Christian, are you only fixin to get ready to answer God’s call or are you answering it? Please read more….

Today is the day and now is the hour to answer God’s call. We can’t ignore it or put it off indefinitely. Please take a moment for a personal inventory. Looking back at just the last 7 days, ask yourself these questions:

In the last 7 days did I……

  • Lead anyone to Christ?
  • Visit someone who was sick or lonely?
  • Bake a pie and take it to someone to brighten their day?
  • Invite a family in need over for dinner?
  • Sell one of my luxury items and give the money to the poor?
  • Drive someone who needed assistance to the doctor or hospital?
  • Share God’s word with someone who didn’t know Jesus?
  • Speak out about injustice, and then do something to change it?
  • Invite someone to church?
  • Visit someone in prison?
  • Share my faith with a co-worker, business colleague, customer or client?
  • Reach out to someone who I read about in the news whose house burned down or was damaged by a flood or storm?
  • Send money to support someone working in the mission fields?

Perhaps instead, during those 7 days, you can only attest to saying your daily prayers and to going to church on Sunday. Is that enough?

A cross has two parts to it. It has a vertical pole and a horizontal arm. The pole can symbolize our relationship with God. The horizontal arm can symbolize our interaction with others. The arm can be viewed as our Christian response to our Godly call. Is our response to His call only our faith and prayer life or are we responding with works and actions as well? In other words, are we just a pole….or are we a cross.

Unfortunately, the writings found in the Book of James regarding faith and works often create division among Christians. My purpose is not to tackle the question: “Are we saved by faith alone.” My point is simply this: if we are Christians ….we need to put our faith in action.

For me, the writings found in the Book of James have never created any confusion. I believe that Jesus expects us, as Christians, to demonstrate our faith by our works. Do we really have faith if we fail to respond to Christ’s many calls to take action? Our faith should be demonstrated by our actions.

“If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?” (James 2:14-17) Likewise, Abraham’s faith was put into action when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? His faith was active along with his works, and his faith was demonstrated by his works.

1 John 3:18 tells us “Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” James 4:13-17 makes clear that we cannot procrastinate. It concludes with this warning: “So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin

The great commissioning found in Matthew 28:19 calls us to action: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,” but sadly we also read this in Matthew 9:37: “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.”

Are you ready to go to work in His vineyard? Perhaps your answer is: “I am not worthy to do those things.” Maybe your response is: “First let me rectify my own sins, and then I’ll get serious about taking Christ to others.” This is just false humility. None of us is worthy, yet we are all called.

I conclude each week’s podcast with these words: “Be the door, no matter how broken you might be through which others can enter to encounter Christ.” What’s holding you back?

Now is the time to act. The time for “fixin to get ready” is over. Look ahead to the next 7 days. Make an action plan. What can you do differently, starting today, so that one week from now your answers to the questions above will be dramatically improved from what they were today?

Write down one action step right now: ________________________.

Heavenly Father it is time for me to stop getting ready to get ready. It is time for me to put my faith in action. Give me the strength to answer your call today, amen.

As always, I love to read your comments below as well as hear from you personally by clicking here.

Brian Pusateri
Latest posts by Brian Pusateri (see all)

9 Comments

  1. Gordon Brown on October 31, 2018 at 5:08 pm

    How true. I can answer positively today as I have just staffed on a Cursillo this last weekend but, how will I answer next week? A timely question.

  2. Lee on October 30, 2018 at 5:41 pm

    If I didn’t know you better I’d say you were a Protestant evangelist. Love you, brother. Even Martin Luther said, “Although we’re saved by faith alone; it’s not a faith that is alone.” Now that I think about it, I have a wonderful Catholic friend that I’ve been trying to save for many years. Maybe tomorrow will be the day. ;^)

    • Brian Pusateri on October 30, 2018 at 9:12 pm

      Lee

      Lee, as you well know we may practice our faiths a little differently but our beliefs are pretty similar. Thanks for your post. God bless you.

      Brian

    • Bob Lange on October 31, 2018 at 9:48 am

      Lee,
      Great to hear from one of my favorite Protestant Pastors 🙂
      If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear there’s a latent Catholic voice whispering in your comments. Much common ground to stand upon my friend.

  3. Bob Davis on October 30, 2018 at 12:27 pm

    Brian,

    Brian,

    This letter was as fine as frog’s hair!

    How many times did Jesus tell us to “Go” and do this or that.? In John 14:12 Jesus says, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.”

    Jesus was very much about action. Many of us may not feel that we are able to do great “works” but like Mother Theresa said, “we can all do small things with great love”.

    Arguing about works and faith shouldn’t be the point. But putting your faith into action is a way God seeks to give our faith-life more vibrancy and influence on the lives of those we touch, and thereby, through His grace, draw them closer to God.

    Thank you,Brian, for being a door!
    Bob Davis

    • Brian Pusateri on October 30, 2018 at 12:43 pm

      Bob

      Thanks for your post. MaybGod bless you in all you do.

      Brian

  4. Jim Nolan on October 30, 2018 at 10:14 am

    Thanks Brian for the call to action. Seemingly small action scan mean so much and remind us so concretely of God in the world. Bless you!

  5. Brian Harmon on October 30, 2018 at 8:16 am

    Thanks for sharing. Good word today!

Leave a Comment