Why You Should Do It Today

2 Peter 3:8-9, NIV –  But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

                Peter’s second letter has a feeling of urgent intensity to it.  Many scholars have surmised that this is due to his awareness that he doesn’t have long to live.  This may be true, but there is another reason for Peter’s urgency.  He wants his readers to live as people who are ready for the end.  They were already beginning to experience persecution and Peter sees more coming.  He also had a heart to see others to turn to faith in Jesus before it was too late.  They were being led astray by false teachers who were after material gain. 

                It reminds me of a story that Rick Warren, the author of The Purpose-Driven Life, told about his father’s last words before dying of cancer.  Jimmy Warren had been a pastor too, and was known for the many churches he planted over the course of his career.  Here’s Rick’s account of Jimmy’s last night on earth.

“The night before my father died, my wife, my niece, and I were in his bedroom by his side. Dad suddenly became very agitated and tried to get out of bed,” Warren continued. “Of course, he was too weak to get up so Kay (Rick’s wife) insisted he lay back down. But he kept persisting in trying to get out of bed. Finally, Kay in exasperation said ‘Jimmy, you CANNOT get up! You are dying. We will get you whatever you need. What are you trying to do?’

“My dad replied, ‘I’ve got to save one more for Jesus! I’ve got to save one more for Jesus! One more for Jesus! One more for Jesus!’ He began to repeat that phrase over and over and over. It is no exaggeration to say that during the next hour, he repeated the phrase probably a hundred times: ‘Got to save one more for Jesus!’”

Both Peter and Jimmy Warren shared the heart of God for people that are lost.  God’s desire is everyone come to believe and trust in a relationship with Him.  God is patient, but there is a such thing as too late.  This is the reason for the urgency of the Gospel.

                There is also an urgency for those who already know what it is to experience this saving relationship with God.  We should not put off sharing our faith with others, growing our faith as much as we can, and strengthening our relationships with others.  The time for such things is way shorter than we know.  Live like tomorrow isn’t promised, because it isn’t. 

Question:  What would you do today if you knew there was no tomorrow?

Prayer:  God, only you know how much time we have left here on earth.  Help us live with urgency for the things for which you are urgent and let go of the things that are not important to you.  Amen.

Prayer Focus:  Pray for all the men and women of our armed forces all around the world today

Song: Live Like Your Dying – Tim McGraw