We do our best to prepare ourselves for what is ahead.

Summer, for example, as it approaches, people start working hard on their arms and abs, ‘cause, hey, it’s beach bod time!

For us as athletes, we do this every year from the moment our season ends until the next one begins. We condition, practice hard, “get swol,” and we may even alter class schedules to lighten the academic burden in order to have a successful season.

I always want to anticipate what will best equip me for what lies ahead. I don’t want to be caught off guard, and I certainly don’t want to find myself behind, scrambling to catch up! If I have a meeting with someone, I do a little Google stalking to learn as much as I can about that person, his or her career and work. For games, I study opponents’ personnel and plays thoroughly to help teammates during the games (not to mention to frustrate the other team as much as possible!).

John the Baptist was concerned with preparation as well. In fact, God Himself ordained John to prepare himself, those living at the time and even us today about something new going down (Matthew 3:3). The Old Testament constantly foreshadowed God's plan of salvation for His people through prophets, prophecies, stories and the law.

But John says the time of looking ahead is gone! The kingdom of heaven is here now! But how do I respond to this and prepare for it? John reveals that to us: repentance!

This involves more than just a feeling of sorrow or guilt in our minds over sin. It requires action and intentionality. Picture someone literally turning around and moving in the opposite direction from sin to God. It’s a humble submission to God in recognition of my shortcomings.

In the context of a repentant heart, God works and moves in our lives. We are not saved through repentance (only faith in Jesus does that – Ephesians 2:8). But through God's grace and mercy, we must recognize our need to turn from our sin and present ourselves to God just how we are and not wait until we feel clean or worthy enough.

We need not fear we are too messed up, too unclean or too far behind. Jesus welcomed into paradise a criminal who had lived his life in sin, because the criminal knew he deserved his punishment, understood who Jesus really was and recognized his need for Jesus (Luke 23:40-43).

The kingdom of heaven is here! Jesus is alive! We prepare and live in light of this by continually and daily remembering our need to repent, trusting in forgiveness through Jesus and offering our lives to God to be used in His kingdom for His glory!

Reflect: Do you believe God's kingdom is here? Are you living in light of this? Are you honest with yourself and God about your failures, shortcomings, sins? Are you making an effort to turn from them?