2020 Archives

  Years ago, I was rebuked for answering my father, “OK, in a minute.”  We call it procrastination, and we even use it with the Lord.  He says “Go”, and we say, “Later Lord.”  …but our excuses don’t impress God:

  The boy, Samuel, had been “lent to the Lord” for life.  “…Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. (1Sam. 2:18).”  —You are not too young to serve the Lord NOW.

  Martha of Bethany asked, “Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? …And Jesus answered and said unto her, …Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:38-42).”  —You are not too busy to serve the Lord NOW.

  Moses, deliverer of Israel, first contended… “I am not eloquent, …I am slow of speech.  And the LORD said …go, and I will be with thy mouth. (Ex. 4:10-12).” —You are not too deficient to serve the Lord NOW.

  Jesus was once asked, “…what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?  …Jesus said unto him, …go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, …he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. (Matt. 19:16-22).”  —It will not cost you too much to serve the Lord NOW.

  A man once said,  “…Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:59-62).”  —There is no greater responsibility than to serve the Lord NOW.

  Joshua once preached, “choose you this day whom ye will serve …but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Josh. 24:15).  and then he “died, being an hundred and ten years old. (Josh. 24:29).”  —You are not too old to serve the Lord NOW.

  God calls and equips His servants.  We must obey Him NOW!

  On my last birthday I turned 60.  Not exactly old, to those who are older, and not exactly young to those who are younger, but here I am at the peak of my prime.  From here I can see down the slope toward the latter chapters of life, and I can see the past very clearly as well.  From this vantage point, I am amazed at how much has changed around me in my brief journey.

  When I was a child, I remember working in the garden, mowing the lawn, mending fences, going to school, etc.  “Spare time” was a precious commodity in those days.  The ancients that I knew growing up, spoke of life in their youth as harder still.  They spent time doing things that were necessary to sustain life.  They harvested, canned and cured their food for the winter.  They milked the cows and made their own cheese and butter.  There was also sewing, cooking, chopping wood, etc.  A whole day of recreation or relaxation was almost unheard of.

  Today we have the advantage of technology that makes life much easier.  We have microwaves, electric appliances, pre-cooked meals, automobiles and multi-lane roads that take us anywhere within a vast radius of our homes in a matter of minutes.  Our homes are heated and cooled automatically.  We get our water from the faucets located in multiple places within our dwellings, and the list goes on.  With all of the time saving technological advances, we don’t have to spend so much time working to live.

  In spite of the busyness of yesteryear, I also remember that we ate meals together, and were somehow able to visit family and friends occasionally.  We were faithful to the house of the Lord and somehow found time for the Word of God and prayer.  It’s puzzling to me how with all of the time that our modern contrivances have afforded us, these vital elements seem to have suffered decline.  And yet God says we should be, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:16).”  Perhaps we should take time to listen.