Don't Put Off

I'm not your typical bill-payer. Anyone who knows me well can tell you no grass grows under my feet when it comes to paying bills. The very day any bill arrives I'm quickly filling out a check and mailing it before the day ends. And even though my mother was a frugal woman and a great example of a responsible steward when it came to money, she never instructed me to pay bills the moment they arrive. I don't know why I'm like that but I am. However, there are some people in the world who prefer to live in the state of "tomorrow." By that, I mean those who put off tomorrow what they should AND COULD have done today. I was thinking about this very thing when a scripture popped into my head that "tomorrow" is not promised (James 4:13-15). None of us know what tomorrow will bring. In fact, I've lost people in my life unexpectedly, young people who were too young to die. "Here today, gone tomorrow" as the saying goes.

People are procrastinators. It's just a fact. I remember one Christmas season when I stood in a long line at the post office. I was waiting for my turn to approach the counter as were about thirty-five other anxious patrons. The line was moving at a snail's pace. The post office employees seemed to be purposely going slow as if to aggravate us even further. Most everyone in the lobby was precariously balancing at least five packages in their arms and one lady had so many she brought hers in on one of those collapsible, trolley-type utility carts. People were becoming very impatient. As I looked around eyeing all the different wrapping paper and size of packages I remember thinking to myself, "Why do people wait to the last minute to mail packages? Couldn't they get here a week or two earlier? Sheesh!" Of course, there I was standing right alongside them guilty of the same infraction! Why is it that people unnecessarily wait until the last minute in order to get something accomplished? Let me suggest three reasons:

1) Poor (or no) planning on their part (read Matthew 25: 1-13).
2) Involved in doing too many insignificant things and forgetting the most important thing (take Martha, for instance - Luke 10: 38-42).
3) Some people just like that drama of rushing. They procrastinate to the very last minute as a means to spur them on to complete a project.
When it comes to spiritual matters you should never put off what you can do today but oh how people do. The Bible tells us "now" (today) is the acceptable time, behold, Now (today) is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Tomorrow may be too late. It has been too late for 3 people I knew. Do you recall the 1997 movie co-produced by James Cameron called TITANIC? I've literally seen it 13 times! The Titanic's captain did not believe the ship was sinking until the water was ankle-deep in the mailroom. At that point, he realized that the 'unsinkable ship' was sinking. Ships that could have helped rescue the people on board were not asked to help early enough and did not arrive in time! In the same way, many people gamble that they will get saved at the eleventh hour. What they do not realize is, it may come so fast they do not know it is the eleventh hour!

God has told the sinful world, in no uncertain terms, to repent (Mark 6:12; Luke 24:47; Acts 3:19; 17:30). To repent means to change your mind from embrace of sin and rejection of Christ to rejection of sin and embrace of Christ. “Today, if only you would hear his voice, Do not harden your hearts” (Psalm 95:7–8). Another problem with delaying repentance is that no one knows the day he will die. And after death comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27). The rich fool in Jesus’ parable (Luke 12:16–20) thought he had plenty of time to enjoy life, but God had news for him: “You fool, this night your soul will be required of you" (verse 20). We have today and we have the present moment but we should use it wisely. Another reason to not delay repentance is that every time we refuse to repent, we continue to sin and our hearts get harder (see Hebrews 3:7–8). Every time a person says “no” to what’s right, it becomes a little easier to say “no” the next time, too. Can anyone relate to that? There’s a gradual hardening of the heart as 1 Timothy 4:2 describes as "searing of the conscience" which can numb an unsaved person to the point of being past feeling. This is a dangerous spiritual condition to be in. Please do not put off what you can do today in this "acceptable time." There are people right now (metaphorically) 'standing ankle-deep in water' who will literally not be here tomorrow and who never took God's plea to repent seriously. Is that you? Please give your life, your heart, and your ways to the Lord Jesus Christ while it is still DAY. Hebrews 3:15 has the perfect message, "If you hear God's voice today, do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were when they rebelled against God."