“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” Rev. 20:12-13 (KJV)
The morning sun was brilliant, the spring air chilled. There was an air of expectancy as I thought about the Courage Today devotional for the day. I looked at several inspirational items to spark a thought with no success. Then I settled on John’s vision of Christ’s judgment throne. Something notable jumped out at me as I reviewed the vision of this White Throne judgment scene.
No. It wasn’t the throne. Not him that sat on it either. No. It wasn’t that all would appear there. Not that death and hell would be cast into the Lake of Fire either. And no, it wasn’t the Book of Life or the names found or not. What struck me so forcefully? All who came into this judgment was “judged according to their works.” I must say it causes me some concern. You see, I am the world’s leading procrastinator. In fact, regrettably, I must confess that I invented the concept. It is the obstacle in my road of working for the Master. James tells me that I should confess my fault (sin) so that I may be healed (cured or restored) [James 5:16].
Here in my comfort zone of the pastoral office, behind a computer screen, and biblical research, it is easy to meditate on God. Oh, the joy and tranquility of his presence! But the endless possibilities and activity required on any given day freezes my motor. What am I to do next? How can I best use this time? How do I effectively achieve God’s will today? Most of my days start this way. I often get bogged down in the marsh of decision about what to do next. I can’t seem to get started because I can’t identify where to start. So I put off starting until I can identify the starting point. One bumper sticker expressed it clearly, “I’ll procrastinate tomorrow.” It is a horrible circle of frustration. John’s vision of the judgment warns me that I’ll have to give an account for my work. I’ll have to explain my propensity to procrastinate.
Throughout history, in contrast to my pitiful performance, ordinary people just like me from every walk of life have boldly faced the challenges and stepped forth to achieve great things for the Lord. They have demonstrated faithfulness, obedience, dependability, and love for Christ. Today is my day of deliverance. I will start, even if it is not at the beginning. I will start!
Dear Father, thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for being patient with me. Forgive me for lazy procrastination. Enable me to set goals and make plans. Empower me to begin with vigor and achieve the purpose you have assigned to me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. AMEN
Let us praise God for his plan and live for his purpose,
Pastor Smith