“Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”

Amos 4:12

God sent the prophet Amos with a message of judgment on six pagan nations. Each message was short, though not sweet. Amos delivered a seventh short message to Judah (in the South), but the longest (the last seven of nine chapters) was for Israel (in the North.) God denounced Israel for many things: violence, injustice, idolatry, and false outward shows of worship of God. One of the most terrifying statements is God’s promise that He will visit them with the judgments He promised them, followed by the words: “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”

Every human being who has ever lived either has or will meet and answer to God. Like it or not! There is a day of reckoning—of Judgment. The standard by which each will be judged is the righteousness of God. Next to that standard, we have all fallen infinitely short—no matter how poorly or well we may do when comparing ourselves with fellow sinners.

Everyone is guilty before God and all will meet Him for judgment. Every human being is in real trouble.

But Wait!

There is a way to prepare to meet our God. It isn’t the way of trying harder. Even if we could be perfect from now on (which we can’t!), that would do nothing to undo the sins we have already committed, which by themselves would condemn us.

The only way to prepare to meet our God is to trust in Jesus Christ. Because we are all sinners and have no hope of saving ourselves, Jesus lived sinlessly and died vicariously (that is, in our place) to pay the penalty for our sins. His death in our place only helps us if and when we trust in Him, and Him alone for forgiveness. Prepare to meet your God by trusting in Jesus. If you do there will be no judgment because Jesus already took that judgment for those who trust Him.