[ecko_quote source="2 Corinthians 6:2"]Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.[/ecko_quote]
God always deals with people in the realm of “NOW”. He is not concerned about what we aim to do in the future or what we had done in the past. Therefore, our obedience must be now. Any delay in obedience is simply disobedience. Abraham, Moses, David and many others in the Bible obeyed to the voice of God right away. Instant obedience is all that matters.
In the final hours, when Jesus was on the cross, the two criminals who were hanging on either side heard what Jesus was saying. One took hold of the opportunity and gave his life to the Lord, while the other accused and blasphemed Him. In response to the one who accepted Him, Jesus said “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will with be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).
My dear ones, we do not know when it will be our final hour on this earth and when we will receive our call from the Lord. The Roman Emperor Constantine believed that once he was baptised, his sins would be washed away and that he would attain salvation and entrance into heaven. Because of this assumption, he put off baptism and planned to be baptised just before he died. It has been thought that Constantine put off baptism as long as he could so as to be absolved from as much of his sin as possible. Similarly, many believers play with sin in an anticipation that they may turn to the Lord, ask for his forgiveness, and receive His salvation just before their final moments. How foolish to think this way? Luke 12:20 clearly states “But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul will be required of you”. Dear ones our time is in His hands.
An aeroplane crashed and burned several years ago, killing all the occupants, except for one man who was miraculously delivered without any burns to his body. He was a guest on many of the talk shows and a sought-after speaker for many years, telling his story of the miraculous delivery from certain death. In one of the talk shows, he was asked two questions. The first question was, "What had you done the morning before you took your flight?" His response indicated him spending time in prayer and studying the scriptures.
The second question they asked him was, "As the fuel was igniting and flames were rushing through the cabin, was everyone crying out to God?" I believe his answer will always stay with you. He said that while their clothing and flesh were burning, he fully expected to hear people crying to God for help. But what he heard was cursing and screams of vile accusations towards God. He went on to say, for a long period of time this has troubled him. Why would people, with imminent death ahead, curse God? He said, it was revealed to him during a time of prayer that in a disaster, most people will die no different than the way they have lived. He said it's just like what Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of your heart, your mouth will speak."
As I think about this man's testimony, it has solidified my belief that what we think, speak, and do in our daily lives builds a foundation in our heart that affects our blessing and protection. Sadly, many Christians unknowingly live their lives with the same attitude, putting off an intimate relationship with God for one reason or another. We must remember that what you put into your heart is what comes out of your heart in the form of words, actions and deeds.
Remember, what we sow into our lives is what we are bound to reap. You can't expect a mango tree to grow out of apple tree seeds. Don't let this article discourage you if you have your course set in the wrong direction, but be encouraged and change your course today while you still have time. Although, it may take time, with persistence and faith in God, it will eventually happen. Speak the promises of God over your life and cast down the vain imaginations of doubt and unbelief that the enemy will attempt to place in your mind.
Image Source:
[http://www.elp.com/content/dam/diq/online-articles/2014/07/timeisnow.jpg]
