What Time Is It?

The blog title is a question that was asked on multiple occasions this summer-first at a week of middle school camp and then again on our mission trip to Michigan. Our theme for both weeks was "Time", with the focus being on getting the youth to see that now is the time to do something for God and to let Him work in our lives. Obviously the message was not just for the campers, but continues to be reinforced for me as well.

I was reading this morning and the verse that jumped off the page for me was 1 Peter 4:7. It says, "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers." It obviously speaks of many things, but what caught my attention the most was the theme of not wasting time.

It can be easy to take a day for granted-to assume that if we don't do something today we can simply do it tomorrow. While that may be true for simple things (ie. mowing the grass, taking out the trash, doing laundry), the opportunity to do something for God may not be there the next day. Today might be the day that a focused prayer needs to take place for someone else. Today might be the day that a simple interaction with someone might help to guide them closer to Christ. Today might be the day that a conversation I have with my children is a small part of who they will become in the future. Today might be the day, as a pastor, that the words God has given me to share-through preaching or simple one-to-one interaction-are exactly what someone needs to hear for their situation.

I am still challenged by the depth of this verse as I sit here. It helps to create a sense of urgency in my spirit about the state of mind that I should continually be in. It should cause all believers to give emphasis to the state of their prayers and the intent of their words and actions.