Luke 21:34-36
"But be on your guard. Don't let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it's going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don't go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that's coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man."
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
“Live for today!” “Seize the moment!” “Life is not a dress rehearsal!” “You only get one chance, so go for it!” “Just do it!” We’ve all heard these clichés and others. And there is some truth in each of them. A lot of people waste time procrastinating or waiting for someone to sweep them off their feet or their “ship to come in” – and they totally miss out on some of life’s best moments!
But there are also those who have a bad day, so they go shopping and pay with plastic for things they cannot afford and really don’t need, because it makes them feel better temporarily. Others party and go crazy and plan to settle down later. They even call it “sowing wild oats.” Still others figure, “My life is down the tubes anyway, so why bother?!” And all of these philosophies are simply “stinkin’ thinkin’!”
Do you remember a few weeks ago when air traffic controllers went to sleep on the job, and the result was some very scary near-misses by a few planes in the air… and a couple that were trying to land? Jesus is telling us “Don’t go to sleep at the switch.” We cannot get caught up in living for the moment and our own interests so much that we lose focus on Him and what He desires from us – and for us. We must put God first… then ask Him to show us how to prioritize everything – and everyone else – on our list.
Please understand… God wants us to fully enjoy our lives. He wants us to “seize the moment” and live every minute like it was our last. But He wants to show us how we can best accomplish this… how to live with no regrets, so that when He returns or calls us home, we can stand proudly before Him and hear, “You lived and served well.” All it takes is a shift in attitude on our part… moving a step closer to Him and away from our own selfish interests. Life isn’t a dress rehearsal… are you making the most of your shot at it?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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