To- Now, Not To-Later

When our oldest daughter Amie was just a little toddler learning how to speak, she would get upset when she wanted to do something, or she wanted us to do something and we would tell her that we would do it tomorrow, or later.

One day, she expressed her frustration, as only kids can, by mixing up the words today & now and tomorrow & later, when she said with determination in her voice, “No. To-now, not to=later!”

That thought came to my mind when I was reading this verse:

1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the
reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…”

The very first word in this passage, “but” can also be translated “now”.
Now is when we need to set apart Christ as Lord in our hearts.
But too often our heart is divided. We are always putting things off until tomorrow. Or after we finish whatever currently has our attention.

But the time to do this is not tomorrow.

Not after the big game.

Not after the audtitions on "American Idol".

Not after your favorite TV show is over.

Not after you get your taxes back.

Not after you get married.

Not after the kids are born.

Not after you retire.

Not after you‘ve done all the sinning you want to do.

Not to-later, but to-now.

We need to be clear on that? When do you set apart Christ as Lord?

NOW.

Sadly , that’s not how we normally do things…

We say we’re going to start working out when…tomorrow…

We’re going to start eating healthy when…tomorrow…

We’re going to quit smoking when….tomorrow….

We’re going to start saving money when….tomorrow…

We’re going to start reading the Scriptures on a regular basis when…tomorrow….

Peter is telling us now is the day…now is the time.

Carpe diem…seize the day, the moment to set apart Christ as Lord now!!!

The urgency of doing this now hit me even harder when I was at a Prayer Summit a couple of weeks ago and I heard Daniel Henderson talking about this verse:

Ephesians 5:16 “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

The word “time” is “kairos” which means a “set time” not “chronos” which means a “space of time” - even years.

You see, Paul is not telling us to make the most of our teen years, our twenties, our thirties, the rest of our life, or the time we are involved in a particular ministry (although we should make the most of those periods of time).

What Paul is saying is make the most of right now. Right now redeem the time. Right now decide to live for Jesus. Right now cash in your life for His. Right now set Him apart in your heart. Right now. The time is now.

Or as my daughter Amie would say, “To-now, not to-later!”


Trying to serve God in the here and now,
Pastor Dave

P.S. You can check out the website of the ministry of Daniel Henderson here:
http://www.strategicrenewal.com/