Now is the Time

Good morning!

Procrastination. Let the word swim around in your mind for a minute...what image or thought comes to the front of your brain? One of my professors at Jacksonville State used to say, "good students panic early." I knew what he meant then, but the older I get the more truth that statement seems to hold. I never advoacte panic as a good response to any situation, but the truth is, now is the time to do the things that need to be done.

For centuries the Hebrew people had longed for the Messiah. It may have seemed at times as though God was procrastinating. Can you imagine the looks on the people's faces when Jesus said these words:

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?" Luke 4:16-22

Though many times in our lives it seems as though God is not acting on our behalf, or that he is procrastinating in some way, God is always at work around us (Thank you Henry Blackaby for teaching us that!). Let us do today what is set before us. Let us not put off what God has called us to do.

The disciples were amazing in many ways. One thing that has always impressed me abouth them is how quickly they left everything to follow Jesus. They did not procrastinate; they did not hesitate. They followed right then. We need to be like them if we want to be true followers of Christ.

The greatest danger in procrastinating is thinking that we are guaranteed tomorrow. Don't put off until tomorrow what needs to be done today because we are not guaranteed tomorrow. I leave you today with this verse:

2 Cor 6:2
For He says:

"In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you."

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

God bless,

Jay