“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” – John 9:4 (NKJV)
Picture this: a surgeon wakes up to a call at 3 am from the emergency ward in his clinic, requesting his immediate presence for a patient who was in an accident, leaving him critically injured, and needing to be operated on within the hour. The surgeon needs no persuasion. Because he recognises the urgency of the situation, he will immediately take the action needed to ensure the patient’s life is saved.
Like this surgeon, we have all been called to fulfil a purpose—that one thing God has given us to do, which we must succeed at. Otherwise, nothing else we succeed at will count. As our anchor scripture emphasises, this assignment is not something that can wait; it must be fulfilled urgently. Just like this surgeon, how we respond to this call is important not just to us but to God. Lives depend on our response.
When it comes to our time on earth and how we spend it, we must be conscious that our time here is limited (Romans 13:11). Scripture tells us the day of the Lord will come when we least expect it (1 Thessalonians 5:2). Therefore, in the pursuit of purpose, we would do well to utilise our time effectively and efficiently.
Having developed the consciousness that our time on earth is limited, we must ensure that we prioritise purpose. In Matthew 6:33, our Lord Jesus Christ gave us a principal guideline for how we should live. After we have come to know Christ, our affection should be on the things above (Colossians 3:1-2). By setting our purpose as a priority, we can maximise our time for the Kingdom of God.
Urgency requires that we stay focused. We must shun distractions and concentrate on our assignments. Focusing on our purpose demands that we are committed to it and not looking sideways (Hebrews 12:1). In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, we are taught to exercise discipline in our pursuit of purpose. Living a disciplined life requires that we set our focus on knowing Christ and doing His will.
Dear believer, your number one priority in life is to know Christ and make Him known at every opportunity, and you can’t afford to delay.
Therefore, treat the spread of the Gospel as urgent. Preach the Gospel to all you come in contact with every day of your life. Remember, you are here for this reason.
Bible Reading Plan: 2 Corinthians 5-6