I am a terrible procrastinator — there, I said it. I’m pretty sure I get it from my Mom. All through my childhood and into today, I let projects sit until I’m good and ready to take them on. The truth is that I sometimes would be proud of how I could “turn it on” and get something done. It was the way I justified waiting till the last minute. See? I can still turn out quality work and it didn’t take me two weeks of agonizing over something. A twenty-five page research paper in high school? Knocked it out in one very long night. My senior project to graduate from college? Did it over the course of a weekend. That script I needed to write for my boss? I did it over lunch. No one ever knew the difference.
But I know there is a danger. Someday there won’t be enough time. Someday something will prevent me from taking care of a task at the last minute and it will be too late. In Romans 13, Paul tells us that we have to take care of our spiritual selves now as opposed to later because our salvation is near.
Turn with me to Romans 13. I would like to focus on the tail-end of the daily Bible reading. Romans 13:8-14 is cautioning us against thinking that we have time to do all of the things our sinful nature suggests. To sum this passage up, Paul is saying ***PARAPHRASE ALERT*** “Brother, you don’t have time for this foolishness. Put it away and be ready because Jesus will be here before you know it.” Again, very loosely paraphrased. Don’t do things under the cover of darkness that you wouldn’t do in the daylight. Love your neighbor as yourself because you wouldn’t harm yourself. I love it because it is very direct and not something that could be construed any other way than what it is.
As I have said before, it is perilous for any man to think that he has plenty of time to get his heart right with God. James 4:13-14 ties in very well here. We are a mist that is here and then gone. Brothers and sisters, graveyards are filled with people who “never saw it coming.” Be ready. Don’t procrastinate. Prepare yourself for Jesus’ return. It is nearer now than when we first believed!
May God bless you and keep you this week,
Matt
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