James 4: 13 - 17 NKJV
Too many of us have become accustomed to putting things off. I admit that I have been as guilty as the next guy when it comes to procrastination. We seem to believe that tomorrow is always given, that despite all we know to be true, that we will always be able to get back to that which we seek to accomplish if we only put it off until tomorrow. However, what if as the brother of our Lord claims, that tomorrow never comes? What then of all those plans we have made? Obviously we will never again be able to recapture what we once sought to do. This truth became all too obvious for me this week with the passing of my own father. Now, for those who have read a few of my posts you already know that my father and I never had what you would call a possitive relationship. In fact, my dad was not in my life from the time I was about twelve years old. Even though I always missed that relationship with my father, I always vowed to make amends with him...tomorrow. See, there was always tomorrow to do that which I wanted to do today. It's much easier to face challanges in life on credit than paying for it outright. However, like any ultra high interest credit card, that which we put off until tomorrow never goes away, it just waits until the next day. I used to refer to people like this as being afraid to face reality. Until I realized that I was just like them. Hey, nobody likes to face a difficult situation point blank, I get it. However, how many things have you put off until tomorrow that actually went away as you hoped they would? I'm guessing not too many. See, when today is too tough, there is always tomorrow.
25“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?26“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27“Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29“and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30“Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32“For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
Matthew 6: 25 - 32 NKJV
Yes, my dad and I never had a solid relationship, and I mourn that as much as I do him in his passing. That which I put off until tomorrow so many times never came to fruition. So does that make me a bad person? Hardly, only one who fell into the illusion that tomorrow would bring yet another opportunity for what my heavenly was laying upon my heart. Now, I believe God is not one who tends to nudge us but once when he wants us to know something. No, for there were numerous times when He put it upon my heart to reconnect with my father. That refusal and procrastination rests in my own backyard. Do I know if my dad also longed to reconnect with his youngest son? I can't be certain, but I would guess that he did. One thing a good friend of mine told me years ago was that every father, every dad, longs for a relationship with their children. Through the years of hurt feelings, anger and missed opportunities my dad and I missed out on that opportunity which we both more than likely desired. Why not, wouldn't there always be tomorrow for such things? I'm sure we both felt we had plenty of tomorrows left. It is funny how we take that our Lord never promises us for granted. Indeed, we are never promised tomorrow. We are, however, promised only that He has our best interests upon His heart in all He does {Jeremiah 29:11}. Jesus Himself tells us not to worry ourselves about tomorrow {Matthew 6:34}. Yet we continue to believe that tomorrow we will travel, tomorrow we will prosper and that tomorrow we will reconcile. The old saying was never more true, why put off until tomorrow what we can do today? I know in my heart that my true Father has made it His mission to reconcile me closer to Him {1 John 3:1}. Despite the loss of my earthly Father, my heavenly Father lives on through me {Galations 2:20}. It is the legacy of both that I carry with me.
34“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6: 34 NKJV
~Scott~
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