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Scripture for the day: Acts 24:25 As he [Paul] reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified. "Go away for now," he replied. "When it is more convenient, I'll call for you again."
Thought for the day: Back in the 1950's they made some simple, and delightfully funny (which is translated, clean), movies about two quaint farmers and their 16 children from Washington State. They were called Ma and Pa Kettle. Ma worked like ten men and Pa was busy doing nothing all day. His greatest talent in life seemed to be his ability to get out of work and / or get someone else to do it for him. His favorite saying whenever he was confronted with the need to fix something was, spoken in a drawn-out lazy drawl, "I'm gonna fix that - one o' these days." And whatever it was never got done. That's all very cute in the movies, but what a tremendous waste it is in real life.
And I say that with the realization that I'm very nearly an Olympic caliber procrastinator. My motto has always been something like: "Never put off until tomorrow what, with a little effort, you can avoid doing altogether." I've often used the excuse that I work best under pressure for having left so many things until the last minute, thereby creating the pressure I work best under. And I still maintain it's not always bad to put things off. Death, for instance, should be put off until the last possible moment. Paying taxes, unless you're getting a large refund, are just as well left to the last minute, I think. War certainly is worth procrastinating over. Just think, if we put it off long enough, we might just forget what it was we were fighting about. Dessert, on the other hand, should never be left until the meal is completed; after all, you may be so well fed you suddenly discover you have no room left for cake or ice cream.
In America there is even a Procrastinators Club, which I've been meaning to join but simply haven't gotten around to filling out the application (now that I think about it, I wonder if they ever got around to making up an application – hmmm). I'm gonna do that - one o' these days. They're absolutely dedicated to putting off just about everything until a more convenient time, just like the rich man in the Bible. You remember him, don't you? He was the one who worked hard and became a self-made man. He had so much stuff he didn't know where to put it all so he rented several hundred of those storage facilities we see sprouting all over the American landscape and put his hoard of stuff in them. Later that day, after he'd paid the exorbitant rent on all those lockers, he was confronted by the Lord Himself who said, "You fool! This very night you're going to die and leave all that stuff for other people to fight over."
Felix wasn't much better was he? He was frightened by Paul's talk of morality and God and salvation so he sent him away with the promise that he'd listen later when it was more convenient. I wonder if he ever found it convenient to respond to Paul's message. The Bible doesn't indicate that he ever did; what a wasted life he led. He was a Roman Governor, with all the wealth, power and notoriety that came with that position. He was well respected in his circle of social influence and was to be envied by all his peers. And he wasted his entire life because it wasn't convenient to respond to Paul's message of hope.
Yes, there are some things best left for another time. Salvation isn't one of them. Neither is sharing the hope of salvation with another human being. Remember, as one wise sage said, "Those who plan to get right with God at the 11th hour often die at 10:30."
Think about it; but don't think too long.
Now go take on your world. - Bill