Never Put Off

2 Corinthians 6:2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

I read a story about two little girls that were talking in school one day, and one said to the other, “I hear the school board is making an inspection of our school this week.”  The other girl’s desk was messy, so she said, “I’ll clean it up tomorrow.” The first one asked, “But what if they come today?” Her friend said, “You know, I think I’ll clean it up right now—and keep it clean.”

Just about everybody has heard the old quote by American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin: “Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” But lately, it seems that a spirit of procrastination has reversed the virtue of (1) duty (that which a person is bound, by any natural, moral or legal obligation, to pay, do or perform. Obedience, respect, kindness, fidelity in this life and reverence, obedience and prayer to God). (2) industry – (habitual diligence and steadfast attention in any laborious and responsible service for another; opposed to sloth and idleness). Now, we might be more familiar with the quote by American writer Mark Twain: “Never put off till tomorrow what may be done the day after tomorrow just as well.” But in reality, life is short

James 4:14 “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.”

American Reverend Ralph David Abernathy, Sr. gave us the famous quote: "I don't know what the future may hold, but I know who holds the future." In the busyness of today’s culture, is the Lord getting lost in the shuffle and we are forgetting who holds the future? Have we lost sight that I’ve learned that the “existential” philosophy of “living in the moment” and “living for today” is not “living the life”. Without the “eternal” perspective that comes from “born again” salvation in Jesus Christ, we have nothing else to live for than a materialistic existence of 1 Corinthians 15:32 If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

If you knew that Jesus was coming to your house this afternoon, would there be any cleaning up of your life you would need to do? Anything you would need to trash? Anything you would need to take down? Master Artist Pablo Picasso once said: “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” What is the purpose of procrastination; what is the goal of putting off things that should and need to be done now? The eternal question is: If you were to die today, do you know for sure that you will be going to Heaven? Can anyone really afford to put off salvation until tomorrow? Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Hebrews 9:27 is a motivating reality that it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. We all need to repent of our sin and accept the free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ today. The abundant life in Christ begins then. Don’t wait; don’t procrastinate. Never put off Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 “Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.”

In Christ, Brian