Later God, I’m Busy Right Now

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 is a good place to start any discourse on procrastination and refusal to accept God’s mercy in Christ Jesus. That Scripture says: “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace”.

Until late last year, 2020, I had no idea that God has a set time for the salvation of Gentiles. Paul the apostle shared that revelation with us in his letter to the RomUntil late last year, 2020, I had no idea that God has a set time for the salvation of Gentiles. Paul the apostle shared that revelation with us in his letter to the Romans. Chapter 11 verse 25 says, “I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes in”.

           I don’t know about you. This should frighten everyone that believes that God’s mercy towards humanity is elastic. I hear some people talk about time with the arrogance of fools. What gives you the impression that you have control of time in any form or shape? What gives you the idea that you would live to a ripe old age? Even infants die in their mothers’ wombs!

         The story of late Marilyn Monroe, a famous Hollywood actress comes to mind. She had a perfect life that anyone could dream of, all because of the beauty given to her by God. To crown it all, God loved her enough to send late Billy Graham to preach Christ to her. After hearing what he had to say, she reportedly said to him, “I don’t need your Jesus”. A week later, she was found dead in her bedroom.

Some Christians have also ship-wrecked their faith by putting other things first before God. That is actually called idolatry. When they were jobless, they cried out to Him for an open door. The moment their stars began to shine, they contrived reasons to neglect fellowship with their Creator. He was no longer the source of their strength or wisdom.

They ascribed their successes to their ‘hard-work’. They developed exotic taste to match their new status as they climb the social ladder. Of course, they found time to play Golf or other high profile sports with their friends and business partners. No doubt, they must oil the social oil or be treated like ‘mere men’.

           Someone jokingly opined that some people could be poor because God would not trust them with wealth. There is some element of truth in this statement. God loves us too much to want to be separated from us eternally. Since He knows the end from the beginning, would He allow us to experience extreme wealth if this would lead to our destruction?

This is exactly what the writer of Proverbs 30:9 addressed in his plea to God. He said in verses 8 & 9, “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God”.

Procrastinating in the things of God is more common among young people. This has to do with how they measure time. As far as they are concerned, life is about enjoying the pleasures of things they see and eternity is in the future. Is eternity really in the future? I used to have the same mind-set as they do until I read a Christian book where the author explained that we live with eternity every day.

He argued that anyone can step into eternity without warning; for instance, a fatal automobile accident, sudden deaths from heart failure, unexpected deaths associated with food allergies or asphyxiation (when the airway is blocked by food particles) etc.

         Wisdom is living with the consciousness that we are not promised tomorrow. It is taking “pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man” (Acts 24:16). According to Elizabeth Elliot, late Christian author and Speaker, “The life of faith is lived one day at a time, and it has to be lived- not always looked forward to as though the ‘real’ living were around the next corner. It is today for which we are responsible. God still owns tomorrow”.

          What should be our response when God calls our names or invites us into a relationship with him? Hebrews 3:15-16 warned us no to be like some of the Israelites who perished in the wilderness because they rejected God’s purpose for their lives. We are also told in 2 Corinthians 6:2 that “now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation”. It makes sense doesn’t it? If we are not assured of seeing tomorrow or next week or next year, should we not take advantage of today to make peace with our Creator?

         Eternity is too long a time to spend with the cursed devil and his minions. It certainly will not be a picnic. Jesus Christ Himself gave us the true picture of the Lake of Fire in His teachings while on earth. In Mark 9:43, He said, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire”.

             Isaiah the prophet also painted the picture of satan’s final abode in chapter 66 verse 24 of his book: “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh”. The fate of the wicked was equally foretold in Revelation 14:11, “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshippers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name”.

God’s hands are stretched out today, calling you to turn from the paths of destruction and embrace His mercy in Christ. What do you have to lose by accepting His love? Yes. You will lose the admiration of your friends. Your family might disown you. Your society might ostracise you? Are these too much for you to give up for the love of God?

Remember that the people you cherish so much in your heart at the expense of a relationship with God will not be able to help you when you stand before Him in judgement. Everyman will answer for himself. “Today, if you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled” (Hebrews 3:15). God loves you so much that is why He incarnated in Christ Jesus to die for your sins. Say ‘yes’ to Him today and enjoy the pleasures of heaven with your Father.