the time is now
“Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow..”
James 4:13-14
“Once some people read about a sundial on which was inscribed the cryptic message “It is later than you think.” Travelers would often pause to meditate on the meaning of that phrase. We Christians have a sundial—the Word of God. From Genesis to Revelation it bears its warning, “It is later than you think.” Writing to the Christians of his day Paul said, “It is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:11-12 NASB).
Billy Bray, a godly may of God once sat by the bedside of a dying Christian who had been very shy about his testimony for Christ during his life. The dying man said, “If I had the power I’d shout glory to God.” Billy Bray answered, “It’s a pity you didn’t shout glory when you had the power.” I wonder how many of us will look back over a lifetime of wasted opportunities and ineffective witness and weep because we did not allow God to use us as He wanted. “Night is coming, when no man can work” (John 9:4 NASB).
This pandemic, that is one of my concern–have I done what was within my power to do to serve the Lord, because the night is coming when I won’t be able to work. I do not know whether my homecoming will be now or in many years to come, and none of us know about ourselves either.
If ever we are to study the Scriptures, if ever we are to spend time in prayer, if ever we are to win souls for Christ, if ever we are to invest our finances for His Kingdom—it must be now. Let’s not wait for tomorrow.
“You have eternity to enjoy the honeymoon, but only a short time to prepare for the wedding.” –Woodrow Kroll