Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. Hebrews 3:12-14

Procrastination. That's what this devotion is about ... if I get around to writing it.

Folks, you know you're a first-class procrastinator if you don't rake your leaves in the fall because you know those leaves will probably blow into your neighbor's yard and, if they don't, in five or six years, they'll break down into good compost.

You're a good procrastinator if you don't shovel your sidewalks because spring is coming. You're a good procrastinator if you don't reset your clocks because of daylight savings time. After all, you'll just have to do it again in a few months.

Primo procrastinators listen to the same CD again and again because it's too much work to change the disc. They're the kind of folks who, well, I'm sure I could come up with other examples. I'll do it later.

Even the church has procrastinators. As a parish pastor, I remember church members who put off coming to church so long that when they did show up, they couldn't find the sanctuary. More than once I've watched a church procrastinator head for his favorite pew but had to stop because he couldn't remember what side of the church it was on.

This devotion is about procrastination, and it is also a reminder that says there will come a time when we won't be able to procrastinate any longer.

The time is coming when most of us will be brought to church. We will go no matter what the thermometer reads, no matter whether it's raining, snowing, or the wind is blowing. There will come a time when we will go to church and the minister will preach a great sermon about the love of God that comes in Jesus Christ, but we won't hear his words. There will be a time when we will go to church no matter how much work we have to do. We will go to church, but we won't hear the sermon because our souls won't be there.

Since all this is true, this procrastination devotion is also a devotion of exhortation. It is a devotion that wishes to reach out and encourage those of you who know Jesus as your Savior and to be shared with those who don't.

The Lord Jesus came into this world to offer Himself as a divinely appointed ransom for your salvation. Sadly, many hearts remain hardened by sin's deceit and refuse the forgiveness and life eternal Jesus has won for them. That is a tragedy because their end is coming, and they won't be able to put it off.

This is why, today I encourage you, and all to whom you give this devotion, to listen to the Holy Spirit's call. Listen and be ready and, most importantly, hold fast to Jesus until your earthly end.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I can get away putting off a great many things. That is because those things have no real value. Help me realize the value of what Jesus has done on my behalf. Then, as long as I live and breathe, may my life be filled with thanksgiving and praise. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: 1 Kings 1-2    John 18:19-40

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