"WHY NOT NOW?"
Jerry W. Carmichael
An old familiar song has the refrain, "Why not now? Why not now? Why not come to
Jesus now?" I've heard that song at the close of countless worship services.
I've seen people respond to the invitation of Christ during the singing of that
song or others like it. Perhaps they were moved by the challenge expressed in
the words, "Why not now?"
These days, however, it is becoming increasingly rare to see someone walk down
the aisle and acknowledge that "Today is the day of salvation, tomorrow may be
too late."
There is a real and urgent need for all of mankind to be cleansed from their
sins by the saving blood of Jesus. Yet, to the question, "Why not now?" many
respond "Why now?" or "Why not some other time?"
Many times in scripture the world is described as being so hardened that even at
the preaching of Isaiah and Jeremiah there would be essentially no change in
people (See Isaiah 6:9; Jeremiah 2:7). It seems that we live in such a time, a
time when the challenge to respond to Christ's invitation falls on deaf ears.
What glue is so strong that it can hold people in their sins, even after hearing
countless lessons from God's word and countless pleas to become His child?
Perhaps some think Christianity is silly; just a joke. Maybe they are laughing
on the inside while fervent appeals are being made on their behalf. Maybe they
can't believe the urgency of the matter, standing with Felix waiting for a
"convenient season" (Acts 24:25). Maybe they are like King Agrippa: "Almost
persuaded to be a Christian" (Acts 26:28).
We can't wait forever to become a Christian because we don't have that luxury.
Our life is "but a vapor that appears for a little while and then is gone"
(James 4:14).
When it is gone there is no other chance. Once we are dead, the only thing
remaining is the judgment (Hebrews 9:27); no more chances to respond to the call
towards salvation.
It is tragic in every sense when people have so many opportunities to be saved
and refuse them one after the other. "Why not now?" however, remains the
question. There's no fancy way of changing the question in order to more
strongly impact the listener. Either they desire to respond or they don't. The
choice is theirs. All we can do is be persistent and unmoving in our
presentation and our stand for truth. Whosoever will, come! What about you dear
reader? What is your response to the question, "Why not come to Jesus now?"
A PRAYER FOR YEAR'S END
Lord God:
When our calendar runs out of pages, And the months dissipate into December,
It's easy to be surprised, even disbelieving, That another year is closing.
That, in the hurriedness of living life, The sands of time have continued
unabated, And we are forced to close a chapter, In order to move on and grow.
Such a process isn't easy, for, We're not good at saying goodbye.
With a sense of wonder and twinge of sadness, we reflect upon the experiences of
this year.
We see vividly through memory's prism-Friends, family, others, from distant
past, and within-touch present, Each of whom has touched and shaped us, Each of
whom is unique, Yet so very much like us.
For every relationship, we give thanks, For those from whom we are distanced
through miles, We pray for their well-being. For those from whom we are
distanced through broken-ness, We pray for forgiveness and acceptance. For
those from whom we are distanced through death, We pray for the ongoing gift of
recall.
As our journey continues, we trust in Your promised presence. We are grateful
for the companionship You offer in the form of fellow travelers who teach,
enrich, share joy and dry tears.
As this year ends, Lord, we stop and thank You for the truth that You are love,
For the Comforter who corrects and consoles, For the Messiah who heralds
unending hope,
As the new year unfolds, may we continue to find You along the way.
NEW YEAR THOUGHTS
Swifter than an arrow is the flight of time! Rapidly come the years, and go. A
daily diminishing bank account is one of the few things that remain. Soon will
they all be tolled out, and we shall stand at their end. Nightly I pitch my
moving tent a day's march nearer home.
Since time is short, it should be wisely used. Hours are too precious to
be spent in idleness. God gives each man his mission; a great, important work
which no one else can do. And He allots just enough time for the doing of it.
Therefore a man should find his work, and do it now. He should dole out his
time as he does his money, sparingly; he should see that he receives full value
for its smallest particle; and he should estimate its value from deathbeds.
The dying Queen Elizabeth cried, "All my possessions for a moment of time!"
Life is too brief for animosities. How foolish to spend the few days we
have here in bickerings and strife! Send away past envies and quarrels with the
old year; let not the golden hours of the new be embittered by such ugly
things. Noble souls never cherish a grudge. They are incapable of remembering
an injury. They let not the sun go down on their wrath. They look for the good
in others, and overlook the evil.
Waste not the flying moments on side issues. Many a man has failed in
business because he gave too much time to useless hobbies. The successful man
specializes - he does one thing well. And be sure you clearly recognize the one
thing needful, the main issue of life.
In a religious convention in Scotland an American once met a very eccentric old
gentleman, by whose speech and manner he was very much impressed. When asked
his occupation the Scotchman replied, "Sir, my business is to serve the Lord,
but I make shoes to meet expenses."
Your business, dear reader, through these passing years, is to serve the Lord;
and if you are spending them merely in the prosecution of your calling, the
amassing of wealth, or the pursuit of pleasure, you are frittering them away on
side issues, and will sadly regret it when it shall be everlastingly too late.
Lord "so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto
wisdom."