When Will You Get Around to Reading This?
by Paul Lawrence
I took a long time thinking about writing this. I put if off, found something else to do, came back to it, got distracted and almost didn`t write a seed for today. It`s with a certain irony that the topic I wanted to write about was procrastination.
There are a number of verses in the bible that deal with this area but the verse that really stood out for today is from Proverbs 24:33 that says;
`When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction. "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest," Then your poverty will come as a robber And your want like an armed man.`
Ecclesiastes talks about seasons in our lives and a time to do something. Maybe it`s to move jobs, plant seeds for the winter harvest, write that email to a friend, fix the leaking gutter or even talk to someone about the issues in our lives that we`ve been hiding, and the problem keeps getting bigger.
The proverb warns us that, if we don`t deal with something now, then we won`t reap fruit later, and could end up in poverty. There are addictions, inner pain, family situations, work situations that we`d rather not deal with, but find more pleasurable distractions to take away the pain, and the fear of dealing with the items. We distract ourselves with TV, work, internet, football, cooking and so the list goes, but the items remain and we end up the poorer for not dealing with the issues.
As you think about your day ahead with the Lord, what are the things that you`re procrastinating about, that you know if not dealt with may cause physical or spiritual poverty in the future? Perhaps the fear of man is in the way and you need to ask the Lord for strength to go forward and deal with things.
How do the following two verses apply to you?
`Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry` (Proverbs 19:15).
`Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare` (Proverbs 20:13).
Prayer: Lord, as I go through this day, will You please help me as I tackle the areas that I`ve been putting off in my life. Thank You that You`re always with me. In Jesus` name, Amen.
Paul Lawrence is the Centre Director at Ellel Grange, UK and is married to Anne, who is the Deputy Centre Director for the Grange. He has lived in Africa for over 20 years and China for 5 years. His passion is to see the Lord do bigger and greater things in peoples lives that they cannot do on their own, not just in healings but also in the fun things of life. His belief is that nothing is ever big enough and as a team we can achieve anything if the Lord is at the centre.
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