Don’t put it off; do it now!  Don’t rest until you do! – Proverbs 6:4 (NLT)

“I just don’t have the time.”  How many times have I heard it?  How many times have I said it?  In America, this has to be our number one excuse.  We can’t do hardly anything for God because we simply don’t have the time.  It is amazing to me the excuses that people make.  It really shouldn’t be because I’ve made them as well.  In Luke 14, Jesus asks three people to follow Him, and they make three different excuses.  

“Follow me,” Jesus says.  “I can’t, I’ve just bought a field and must check it out,” says the first guy.  “I can’t, I’ve just bought five yokes of oxen . . . I’ve got to get to work,” says the second.  “I just got married.  Let me get settled into my new life and I might get around to following You, Jesus. Right now, I just don’t have the time.”  

I remember having a powerful conversation with a young woman not too long ago.  She did not like where she was in life, didn’t like the way her relationship with her boyfriend was going, nor did she like her spiritual condition.  We laid out a plan to water the spiritual seeds that had been planted in her heart.  Each day I saw her, I would ask, “Did you spend time with Him?”  “No, I had ________ going on and didn’t have a chance . . .  I will though.”  She ended up later making a monster mistake simply because she didn’t have the power of God growing inside of her.

Unfortunately, as much as I have grown in 29 years of being a Christian, I’m still more than susceptible to the same laziness and excuses.  These past few months, God put it on my heart to go and read Billy Graham’s book, “Nearing Home” to my last living grandparent.  Of course, I said I would.  I never said it out loud but ended up with this plan to do it when school was out.  I reasoned that I was working three jobs, and in the Summer, things would just be a lot easier.  

Well, here I sit this morning with only five school days left.  I spoke at my grandma’s funeral just five days ago.  I didn’t have the time I thought I did.   

Lord, I’m sorry.  I have certainly learned the hard way that delayed obedience is disobedience.  I’m sorry for always seeming to have to learn the hard way.  Help me to not make excuses.  Help me from this day forward to do immediately what You ask of me.  No excuses.  Thank You that Grandma knew You and was ready to go.  Thank You that it was in no way dependent on her excuse making grandson.  Thank You that I will see her again in Glory.  Only You offer this kind of hope.  Thank You for helping me to put this principle to work immediately.  Last night, You asked me to begin reading a book to my son . . . oh how I wanted to go on to sleep after a really long day.  I didn’t want to make the same mistake, so I got up and did it.  We ended up having a great time talking about You, and I still slept well.  My spirit is willing, but my flesh is crazy weak.  Help me to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow You for the rest of my days.  Amen.