Don't wait until it's too late!

Last night I witnessed a bad accident. It was around 9:30 and I was coming home from Chillicothe. The fog made it pretty much zero visibility. As I sat at a traffic light, I watched the Sheriff in the next lane over completely run the red light after sitting in if for just a second or two, and then smack hard into a car in the opposite lanes who was turning because he got a turn signal. I couldn't believe that I saw it in the first place, but then I also couldn't believe the actions of the sheriff. Even if he needed to rush off for some reason, he should have realized that the visibility was treacherous and way to dangerous to take chances. I kept thinking all the way home,...if only he had more patience.

Patience is an extremely important virtue to possess. We see it and hear about it all the time. It's one of the fruit's of the Spirit. I truly believe we should exhibit patience in all areas of our Christian life.....except perhaps one.

As Christians, it has been commissioned to us to go out and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, baptizing people in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit...Mt. 28:19,20. This is the call and the job of the Christian. Is it easy??? No. Is it always fun??? No. Is it necessary??? Most definately. This is one area of our lives that leaves little room for patience. Yes, we should trust in God that He will lead us to lost souls and yes, if we are working on someone, sometimes we need to have patience that it will happen in God's time. But, we need to not waste anymore time on reaching others. We aren't promised another minute here on this earth. We need to be about our Father's business now. Waiting for a "better" time or "more convenient situation" is not acceptable.

Let's say for example, you knew the hope and the promise and the gift that God has given to us, but you didn't share it with your very own children....are you saying that it's ok, they are allowed to make their own decisions in life and whatever path they choose to take, well that's fine with me....they'll be "ok" no matter what? I don't need to expose them to God or tell them He died for them and wants them to have a personal relationship with Him so they will one day have the gift of eternity in Heaven? If you know the truth, but deny your family or friends of it, what is that saying?? God clearly has a plan. A plan that we CANNOT take for granted, that we CANNOT change around to make us feel all good and happy, that we MUST follow and share with others. Don't deny others of knowing about that plan. We need to get busy TODAY for God. We need to share the good news and also exhibit it in our own lives. Does that mean we might have to go against worldly beliefs and political correctness??? YES. When it comes to God vs. the World...MOST DEFINATELY. Does that mean we need to be faithful to God in our own lives through prayer and Bible reading and Church Attendence??? YES. How else will we ever form that relationship and not stray away??? Does that mean we might have to get out of our comfort zones and reach out to those who don't want to hear the message??? YES. With God, ALL things are possible!!!!

Let's get out of the fog and the haze that Satan has formed in this crazy world, and spread God's good news to our family, our friends and our neighbors. My prayer is that we can have the faith to talk to others and the wisdom to know what to say, and the determination to never give up.

"Tears of the Saints" by Leeland

There are many prodigal sons

On our city streets they run

Searching for shelter

There are homes broken down

People’s hopes have fallen to the ground

From failures

This is an emergency!

There are tears from the saints

For the lost and unsaved

We’re crying for them come back home

We’re crying for them come back home

And all your children will stretch out their hands

And pick up the crippled man

Father, we will lead them home

Father, we will lead them home

There are schools full of hatred

Even churches have forsaken

Love and mercy

May we see this generation

In it’s state of desperation

For Your glory

This is an emergency!

Sinner, reach out your hands!

Children in Christ you stand!

Sinner, reach out your hands!

Children in Christ you stand!

And all Your children will stretch out their hands

And pick up the crippled man

Father, we will lead them home

Father, we will lead them home

It will be worth the wait

No one really enjoys waiting. I know I don't. Today, I felt like waiting was the only thing I accomplished. My day started by taking mom to her 3 month Dr. appt. for her knee. Her appt. was at 10:15 and, with the bad weather, we decided to take off a little early. First, I needed to get gas. The gas pumps were extremely SLOW so I waited in the cold longer than usual for $15.00 worth. We got to the dr.'s office 30 minutes early which, normally would be good, but not today. Let's just say mom didn't get out of there until 12:00. So, I waited in the freezing cold waiting room w/ CNN playing the same old horrible news over and over for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Later, we went to do some banking for my grandma in Columbus and we waited in the bank line for probably 15 minutes, only to find out mom needed to go inside for something afterall. More waiting! Following the bank, we decided to do a little shopping we needed to do. What happens next, but we get stuck by the SLOWEST train EVER!!!!! on Williams Rd. I think we waited for 20 minutes. (I was laughing hysterically by the time the end came). Ok, if you thought any of this was bad, guess what happened next? Yep, we got stuck in backed up construction/rush hour traffic on 33 headed for Canal Winchester. While sitting near the merge, we witnessed a horrible case of road rage, to the point where a self-indulged young man got out of his truck and ran over to an older man who sort of cut him off and looked to be giving him a piece of his mind. I glared at the guy when he walked back to his truck and wanted to roll the window down and tell him I'd pray for him, but mom wouldn't let me. Oh well. So, this wait took up another 30 minutes. Now you might think that would be all the waiting I'd have to suffer for one day, but, alas, not the case. One more incident. After our last stop, we were tired and decided to go through a drive through. I was told the item I ordered would take a/b 5 minutes and that I should pull around to the side of the building and someone would bring it out to me. What do you think happened?? Wait...Wait....Wait...5 min...7 min....10 minutes. I have to go in and get my food that they forgot a/b. By this point, I'm tired, cranky and ready for Saturday.

So you might be wondering what my point is by rehashing such a LONG agonizing day. Well, the message is simple. Life is all about waiting. We are all waiting on something. The question is, how important are the things you are waiting for? Do they make a difference in the BIG scheme of things, or are they only important for an instance? I thought a lot about this today and, of course, always came back to the most important thing we, as Christians are waiting for....the day that Jesus comes back and our eternal life begins. This message relates to the message in my previous post. Waiting has everything to do w/ time and we are waiting by our standards of time, not God's.

There are 3 important ideas taught to us a/b waiting in the Bible. First, Psalm 27:14, "Don't be impatient. Wait for the Lord and He will come and save you! Be brave, stouthearted, and courageous. Yes, wait and He will help you." Waiting for God is not easy, but this is time given to us by Him to let us learn to trust Him. Secondly, Matt. 24:46, "Blessings on you if I return and find you faithfully doing your work." We learn we must be prepared!!! And finally, 2 Thess. 3:6, "Now here is a command, dear brothers, given in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ by His authority: Stay away from any Christian who spends his days in laziness and does not follow the ideal of hard work we set up for you." We can spend the time we have working out our faith.

Don't waste your time waiting for something to happen...do something important while you are waiting for something BIG to happen. God Bless!