Tom Barnard

“With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground.

And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master,

confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.”

(1 Corinthians 15:58 The Message)

“Do right, and God’s recompense to you will be the power of doing more right. Give, and God’s reward to you will be the spirit of giving more; a blessed spirit, for it is the Spirit of God himself, whose Life is the blessedness of giving. Love, and God will pay you with the capacity of more love; for love is Heaven—love is God within you.”*  —Frederick William Robertson (1816-1853)

Being an authentic Christian is certainly our goal. But doing the right thing is equally important. I think of the old saying, “Only one life, will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” Do you suppose that the Lord prefers the shorter version?

“Only one day, will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ today will last.”

I am a “tomorrow” person. Anything that can be postponed a day or two without taking anything away from it is a good thing. But Jesus was a “today” person. Take any story from the New Testament—and delay the event one day. You can’t do that. Everything changes—people, the situation, the timing. Today was so very important then; it is now. Consider how one day would have made all the difference in the lives of…the woman at the well…the woman caught in adultery…blind Bartimaeus…the thief on the cross. The next day would have changed forever the life of each of these. Tomorrow would have been too late.

So it is with us. Today is all that we have. Tomorrow may never come. Paul understood this when he said, “Throw yourselves into the work of the Master.” Don’t delay. Do it now.

Lord, these words are for me. They are for me today. I need to be reminded that time may be short. Tomorrow may never dawn. The good that I do must be done today. The people I see today may not cross my path tomorrow…or ever. One day may be too late for someone I love. The good that I do cannot wait until a more convenient time. Remind me. Nudge me. Push me. Keep me from being content that doing your will can be done at a later date. In the Master’s Name I pray. Amen.

*The quote by F. W. Robertson is from the book, Daily Strength for Daily Needs, by Mary W. Tileston, p. 162 (public domain).