He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.” Ecclesiastes 11:4
I have a confession to make… I have a tendency to procrastinate. I’m not great at time management, either. I know that I need to be a good steward — and I try to be — but the enemy is cunning! Sometimes he uses really good things that God would have me do as a distraction from the things that God is calling me to do.
CS Lewis wrote a great book entitled The Screwtape Letters. I think I’ve talked about it in previous devotionals. In this letter, we see a senior demon talking to his underling about the different things that he can do to keep the human that he has been assigned to from coming to know the Lord. And he uses a myriad of distractions. One of the most powerful weapons he uses is procrastination.
The enemy is a deceiver and a liar. In John Chapter 8, Jesus confirmed this to the unbelieving people when He told them that Satan was their father. “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44.
And he is cunning!
He will twist what God says like he did in the garden of Eden. God said – “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17. And, Satan said – “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1.
He will quote scripture to us! He tempted Jesus in Luke 4 when he said, “For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Luke 4:10-11. Satan is quoting Psalm 91:11-12.
And he will even encourage us to pursue salvation… but not right now, maybe later.
God does not guarantee us a tomorrow. “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:13-14.
But, if we do get a tomorrow, the enemy is hoping that we will spend it disregarding the leadings of God and saying, “Not right now, maybe later”.
Because no one is guaranteed a tomorrow, we must act NOW. “…and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem” Luke 24:47.
None of us have been followers our whole lives. At least one person shared Him with us. We must do the same. “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” Mark 16:15.
People are desperate. They are sad and lonely. And worse, they are perishing without a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. That is not God’s desire. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” 2 Peter 3:9.
While people perish, we are being moved by the Holy Spirit to pick up the phone and call them. He is nudging us to send them a text. He has asked us to send a note or a card. And some of us are saying, “Not right now, maybe later”.
But you may not get another opportunity. Pick up the phone, send that text, or mail that card now. While we procrastinate, someone’s eternal soul may be hanging in the balance.
“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;” Matthew 9:37. Get out into the field and be a laborer for the Lord.
Know that your labor will not be in vain. “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”. 1 Corinthians 15:8.
And God will bless your obedience. “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:10-12.
Father God, I pray that you forgive our lethargy. I pray that you forgive our procrastination and our delaying when you lead us to reach out to those who need a touch from you. Holy Spirit, I pray that right now, in this very moment that you would stir within us and bring someone to mind that you would have us reach out to. I pray that you would not allow us a moments peace until we share the love of Jesus with that person. Father God, thank you for your mercy and grace. And thank you that we can share it with those around us. Lead us into the field, Lord. We long to labor for you and to help reap a harvest of souls for eternity. We pray this in your precious and Holy name, Jesus.
When the Lord calls, let us not say, “Not right now, maybe later”. “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8.
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and you really need to hear from Him, please reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com. God wants to speak to you. He wants to forgive you and welcome you, as an adopted son or daughter, into His family. If you are not comfortable reaching out to me, then please go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/) and pray the prayer that is outlined there. Once you have, please consider letting me know. I would love to be in prayer for you. But do it today. Please don’t say, “Not right now, maybe later”. Remember, none of us are guaranteed a tomorrow.
Luv ya!
