Am I Prepared?

The first half of Alma 5 contains a series of very thought provoking questions about really how prepared we are to meet our Maker. Alma's tone is one of great urgency and deep emotion. He wants to make sure that each person is prepared:

27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?

 28 Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.

 29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.

Alma's message and the urgency in his voice resonates with us because not any one of us knows exactly what day we will be "called" to die and return to our Heavenly Father, hence the importance of starting now, starting as early as we can to prepare ourselves for that day. Yes, we do all we can to maintain good health and prolong our lives as long as we can, but all of us have come to realize from our experiences here that life is so very fragile and so very fleeting. Not one of us is immune from illness, injury, or death. 

Today is my best opportunity to work on getting right with God. Today I can fix those little inconsistencies in my character that only He and I can see at the present moment. I once heard President Eyering promise that if we do our very best today to prepare ourselves and repent, then there will be enough time and we will be prepared when our day comes.