Times Up
We all have dates on the calendar we look forward to, and some we dread. The funny thing about those dates is that they are unavoidable. That day, whatever that day is, will come, and there is no avoiding it. As kids, we may have December 25th circled on the calendar, and we get excited about what will happen on that day. Parents, too, have the date circled, but for a totally different reason.
There are lots of dates circled on the calendar of life. There are those that we look forward to, and there are those that concern us, but the one truth is that they are all unavoidable. We are reminded of another date in Romans 13:11-14, “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”
This is a great reminder and warning. We are reminded that there is no time to sit back and coast in our walk of life. Paul reminds us that our salvation is near; this salvation Paul speaks of is the return of our King. Because His return is circled on a date which we don’t know, we must live in such a way that it may be today. There is a call to behave as followers of Christ and not get involved in the things of this world. There is a list given to us, although not an exhaustive list. It gives us a picture of sinful characteristics that we should not be associated with.
The difference we are told is that these sinful actions are things we do to satisfy our own fleshly desires, but what we are called to do is to satisfy what the Lord has called us to. The challenge is to put to death our sinful nature and allow the nature of Christ to shine through us. We do this because Jesus is coming back. The date on the calendar is set; we just don’t know what that date is.
There is also a date set when these earthly bodies will wear out, and we will close our eyes for the last time; it is at that time we shall stand before the Lord God and give an account of what we have done with our lives. The challenge is for us to stand before our Lord with the least number of regrets that we can. To fight the battle of the flesh and live with spiritual victory. That way we can stand before the Lord and hear the words, “Well done, Good and Faithful Servant.”