The truth is...you aren't guaranteed tomorrow. Time is either a merciful friend or a deadly enemy. As Christians, we are really good at making "plans". I'll do this or that tomorrow. Procrastination can sometimes just be another fancy word for disobedience. We have such "good intentions" sometimes...but sadly, they never get much farther than that...an intention...and not an active reality in our lives. We say....'I'll give of myself tomorrow. I'll serve the Lord tomorrow. I'll read my Bible tomorrow morning. I'll love my neighbor tomorrow. I'll give food to the homeless or give him a place to stay next time it's convenient. I'll visit the nursing home next week. I'll help the preborn scheduled for abortion later. I'll give a tract to that familiar grocer next time I see him. "I'm sure they'll be another time when someone isn't in line behind me." Or maybe that man sitting beside me on the bus. "I'll catch him later." "I'm in too much of a hurry today to stop and talk to that lonely man sitting on that park bench." I'll stop and make time for others tomorrow. I'll rid my heart of secret sin next altar call at church. I'll let go of bitterness in my life later. I'll forgive that person before he dies. I'll spend time with my family tomorrow night. Or that friend that needs encouragement. I'll open my home to hospitality next meal. Tomorrow...tomorrow...tomorrow. I'll do it all tomorrow.'
I'm only 22 years old...and I've already realized how short my life actually is. Days...months... even years seem to pass by so quickly. It's sobering. I honestly think it is a subtle tool of satan to keep Christians distracted with the things of this world...and to forget the real value of time. To forget that it is precious...as it is short. To forget that tomorrow doesn't belong to us yet. To forget who it really does belongs to. Christ! And that we are His servants...here to do His will. Not our own.
I've decided to start making time for what is most important in my life. I've realized that unless you purposefully choose to take the time...it won't just fall into your lap. Life is short. Tomorrow is unknown. Hell is real. People are dying. Babies are being murdered. People are starving for truth. For love. And there's a heaven with eternal consequences and value.
"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." (Romans 13:11-12)
Let's wake up! Let's honestly evaluate our lives! Let's seek the Lord while He may be found! Let's be about our Father's business! Let's understand His will and do it! Whose with me?
So very true...it can be difficult sometimes to remember this, especially when you are distracted with what life is throwing at you. The most important thing, at least for me, is to make a conscious effort each day to be a reflection of Christ's love to whomever He puts into my day and to be open to what opportunities present themselves. Sometimes there are circumstances in our lives that force delays in doing what we desire to do, and sometimes I believe that there are reasons for those delays as well...so trusting in God's will and staying vigilant and in prayer is part of our journey.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Miss Donna. I appreciate what you said about our life delays. So very true. God often works in the things we would only see as "obstacles".
DeleteI am with you, Nay! This is a great post! So true. It seems we are creatures of procrastination by nature; and yet, you're right, procrastination is often a mild term for disobedience.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate what Aunt Donna said about how sometimes we are purposefully delayed. It's true, sometimes we can be zealous in a good thing and God has us wait. Or we don't find out the fruit of our actions until a long time later. And we obviously have to be careful not to take on every good work out there, or try to fit everything into every day. God has specific ministries He wants us to do, and at certain times. It certainly IS key to vigilantly seek God's will for us in our lives.
That being said, it is also true that many of us already know what He would have us do, but we wait for a more convenient time. We can't imagine fitting in "good works" with our busy life of today. That's why we wait for tomorrow. And tomorrow often doesn't come for us. I've been guilty of this! We already know that we are commanded to go into the world. We already know we are to speak for the voiceless and minister to the widows. Now is the time to awake. The day is far spent -- He calls for us to gird on His armor of light and fight the powers of darkness. Thanks for this post!
I know you're with me Toni. Thank you. I love and appreciate you so much my friend! You have so often encourage me along this journey. I think the Lord knew I couldn't have made it without you or something. :) Thanks for commenting.
DeleteMe! Pick me! :,( You're very right, Lynea. This is such a necessary encouragement, and one that is needed over and over again!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that with the cold and wet weather season, opportunities for going out and encountering strangers is more limited. I've been trying to think of how I can continue to minister to people (specifically lost people) during this season and not slack of in working in the harvest. I really dislike going into the mall, but it can be a good place to encounter teens who are just hanging out and strike up a gospel conversation. I have the liberty to stand on the street (bundled up and water-proofed) with a sign to hold towards traffic. And I have signs on my care too, for when I'm driving to work, etc. Do you have any other ideas?
And really, around here (Pacific northwest) if we waited for the rain to stop we would only have three months in the year to minister to the lost and abortion-bound. Uncomfortable rain, cold, and wind is something we must endure for the sake of eternity! Jesus endured much more.
Thank you so much Heather for your comment and question. :) I know Toni kind of already beat me to replying to it, but I just wanted to thank you and maybe add to it.
DeletePassing out tracts is something I've been learning how to do creatively. (Although Toni already mentioned that in her comment.) I volunteer at a Pregnancy center here in town also, where I'm thankful to learn and also counsel women. I've often thought about doing more ministry by using the internet. It can be such a useful tool. Obviously, Toni and I blog. :) I'd love to reach the homeless...but sometimes this can be more difficult in smaller towns where the demand isn't as high. Something I'd also like to do sometimes...is just have time to stroll downtown or main parks and try and open up conversations with people sitting on benches. The truth is... be willing is the start to such opportunity! I know God can and will lead you, as He has faithfully for me, in how to serve Him and others. He just wants a willing vessel to pour Himself through.
Thank you for serving Him so faithfully. It really is a blessing to know that there are other young ladies out there who are willing to stand in the gap! God bless and keep up the good work!
True Heather! If we waited for the rain to stop we'd hardly have any opportunity to evangelize.
ReplyDeleteI have sooo many ideas that I want to implement this year and next. I'm excited to see what the Lord allows. We just started singing at the Nursing Homes in Sandpoint. And this Halloween we made a tract and passed it out house to house. It was kind of an unique idea...but the Lord really blessed it.
For Christmas we hope to sing at the malls in CdA and Spokane with all of our "little people" and pass out tracts with candycanes. And we go Christmas caroling to all our neighbors, and this year I hope to do cookies and tracts too to every door. Plus Lynea is hoping to get involved with reaching out to our local homeless people. We've also made sandwiches and put tracts rubber banded to water bottles and handed them out to the homeless. There are so many things would can do to reach the lost. And then Faith is putting a CD together of all her abolition songs. Here's a link to one we are practicing right now: //huttoshighlandhaven.wordpress.com/2015/10/28/will-you-stand-with-me/
There are so many little things too... if we'd only ask the Lord to make us sensitive to others needs He wants us to meet. :)
This is just great Nay. I love it! Thanks for sharing. It is so true to seize each day as a day that God has made to serve and love Him by loving others with. Precious years... oh how foolish those wasted years. I am so grateful to have been saved at a young age... I've had more years to give to Jesus than others who never got saved until their 40's. It's a gift that I don't want to waste.
ReplyDeleteBeing saved at a young age is such a blessing! But with whom much is given...much is required. Thanks for your comment Liss.
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