Why Not Today?

Ever heard God say that to you? Why does this question matter?

It mattered to Paul as he wrote from prison in 2 Timothy 4:21, “Make every effort to come before winter…” He said it as well this in v. 9, “Make every effort to come to me soon...” During winter, travel in the Mediterranean usually ceased due to harsh weather. He desperately wanted to see Timothy before it would have been impossible for him to travel. And the end of Paul’s life was was coming fast. TODAY mattered to Paul.

It mattered to the man Jesus healed in John 5:1-8 after 38 years of being disabled. Jesus asked Him if he wanted to get well. Instead of saying “yes, today, now, I want to be healed,” he began making excuses for why he couldn’t make it to the healing waters by himself. After Jesus told him to get up and walk, TODAY became a very important day to this no longer disabled!

We see a similar story of healing in Mark 10:46-52. A blind man called out to Jesus to have mercy on him. When Jesus asked the bind man what he wanted Him to do for him, he said “I want to see.” I imagine he thought, now, today! Perhaps this is the first day in his life that he had sight! Do you think he said, “Oh, let’s wait a day or two?” TODAY was important to this man who was no longer blind.

It matters that we do not put off what God can do in our lives today. Pharaoh was given a choice of when he wanted a plague over his people and land to end. In Exodus 8:9-10, we read, “Moses said to Pharaoh, ‘You may have the honor of choosing. When should I appeal on behalf of you, your officials, and your people, that the frogs be taken away from you and your houses, and remain only in the Nile?’ ‘Tomorrow,’ he answered.” Why in the world would he delay the end of a plaque of frogs, EVERYWHERE? In beds, ovens, kneading bowls. Why not today? I’m sure the Egyptians wondered why Pharaoh didn’t say today, right now! Relief TODAY!

It matters to a follower of Christ who has heard God’s call to start or stop doing something. James 4:13-17 tells us, “Come now, you who say, ‘today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring — what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.” Today we can stop something Jesus has asked us to stop. Today we can start doing what He has clearly told us to do. TODAY matters.

It matters for a person who has no assurance of eternity in heaven. In 2 Corinthians 6:1-2, Paul wrote, “Working together with him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive the grace of God in vain.” For he says: at an acceptable time I listened to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation!” For a lost person…someone who’s life could end tomorrow, it matters that TODAY is the day of salvation.

Today’s opportunities for Gospel conversations are numerous. Just the same as before the election, we are to share Christ. Why do I delay? Who do I need to start a spiritual conversation with, TODAY?

This blog is worth reading: Evangelistic Opportunities in the Aftermath of the Election. TODAY we can start a conversation that matters! Tomorrow will be too late for some.

What are you putting off that you should do TODAY? Why not start TODAY? What are you not doing TODAY that you should be? Why not stop TODAY?

Banner photo by Eliza Diamond on Unsplash