How Long Will You Wait?

I hear it all the time; “I have to work on some things before I can go to church.” I hear so many excuses for so many different areas of life, and while of course some are legitimate others are not. At some point we must launch. We cannot sit on the launch pad forever. While there may be delays in the launch, we need to be ready when the weather clears and we are a go for launch. We cannot continue to shelve problems, or kick the can down the road to deal with later.

Do we move with intent towards God every day? Do we push ourselves to move beyond our lazy nature, or do we become stagnant swamp water? When I think of moving forward with Christ I think of the Apostle Paul. The fight he faced for so long in his life was beyond what most of us would ever face. If we were faced with that kind of opposition would we pick up our ball and go home? Would we keep our faith, or would we go back to our old ways of life? When you live in Christ your spirit is constantly refilled in the Holy Spirit.2 Timothy 4:6 (NKJV)“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.”Paul knew his time was at hand to depart this world, and he knew that his work was good work. The thing about Paul was he wasn’t afraid to die. You cannot truly face life, and face challenges if you are afraid to fail, or die. Paul knew he would suffer in the name of the Lord, and he was prepared because he knew God’s grace was sufficient for him. 

When we consider the challenges in our life, would we be willing to die for Christ? There are hills to die on and there are fights that aren’t worth the effort. Christ is the hill to die on. Christ is the only hill we face that we need to ever truly worry about. So many of us live for this world. So many people live to make money, or seek fame. So many people live for trinkets or other things that keep them tethered to this world, but we are called to cleave to Christ and sever the desires of this world. 2 Timothy 4:9 (NKJV) “Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.”Will we abandon those we are called to serve along side, or will we remain faithful and vigilant like Luke? Will we fight when the fight comes to our door or will we cower in fear? Will you stand on the truth and preach that truth, or will you forgo doctrine for the pleasing of others? 2 Timothy 4:3 (NKJV)“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;”It is not easy to stand against the pressures of the world, but we must remember what’s at stake. Jesus came to us on a rescue mission. Jesus deployed from Heaven to come and rescue us from the hostage situation we were in. We were being held in bondage by sin, and that sin was never going to negotiate. Jesus came to save us, and give us a change at forever. God gives us a spirit of strength not fear. 

In order for us to truly launch we must understand that nothing we face in this world is by chance. We make choices that send us on a path. We face our own repercussions. God corrects our actions as needed. We face preparation, or face the sins of others. No matter where we find ourselves we are on a divine appointment. No matter if it’s at the store in the check out line, or rolling up on a rollover accident we are where we need to be when we need to be there. God wants you and the question is, are you available to answer the call? When the time comes how will you finish your journey? Will you finish it like Paul? 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NKJV)“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

When we prepare to take our last trip around the sun how will we answer to God? God gives us all talents and we have the opportunity to grow those talents, or squander them away. Christ gives us the opportunity to launch and we have the button for a go/no go for launch. Will you rise to the occasion or crash into the water? The choice is yours. Finish your journey strong and pleasing to the Lord.