Minute Meditations

If you keep waiting for just the right time, you may never begin. Begin now. Do what you can with what you have, right where you are, and do it now. Many people have failed because they were always waiting for what they thought would be the miracle time to begin.

Solomon tells us, ”He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.”

Many people talk about what they will do when their ship comes in, but their problem is they haven’t sent one out. If we don’t sow, we don’t reap; if we haven’t sent a ship out, there is none to return.

In the same chapter that Solomon told us about not sowing because of procrastination over the weather, he also told us to ”cast our bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” No bread cast; no bread to return.

Paul tells us to ”preach the word; be instant in season, out of season.” This means that all the time is the right time to tell others of our hope. Many times we have missed an opportunity to share with others of our hope. Many times we have missed an opportunity to share with others the good news of the coming kingdom of God. Looking back later, we have realized that a golden opportunity to share our hope has slipped away.

Again, Paul instructs us by saying, ”Behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.” Wherever we go and whomever we meet, we should be willing to give them an answer for the hope that is within us. Does everyone you know, know of faith? If not, why not? Because we are ashamed of our Lord? Let’s hope not, for if we are ashamed of him now, he tells us that he will be ashamed of us at his coming.

We can’t make people listen to us, but we can’t be stopped from telling them of our hope if it is really a burning fire within our breast. At one time, Jeremiah thought to be quiet. He describes his feelings saying, ”Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”

Let us hope that God’s word is a burning fire within us like this. Ezekiel tells us that if we warn others and they refuse to listen, then it’s their problem, but if we fail to warn them, then it’s our problem.

We need to tell everyone the good news of God’s soon-coming kingdom. Sometimes the least likely person will listen and the ones we thought would show interest, don’t. Never mind, just keep preaching in season and out of season. The time is coming when it will be too late to preach that Jesus is coming.

The angel of the Lord told the apostles after Christ’s ascension, ”Go, stand, and speak... to the people all the words of this life.” Peter obeyed and was arrested. When he was reprimanded, ”Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name?” his reply was, ”We ought to obey God rather than men.”

It is still our duty to obey God rather than men and we ought to be sharing our hope everywhere we go. Don’t wait for perfect timing. We often sing from our hymnal, but we also need to live the words that ”Life is the time to serve the Lord, to do His will, to learn His word.” ”The days are quickly flying, and Christ will come again with all his saints attending, triumphant in his train.” Share with others ”How frail at best is dying man, how vain are all his hopes and fears.” Encourage everyone to sing and live with you that ”Life’s fleeting treasures I resign, and fix my hope on Thee alone.”