Be prepared in season and out

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

Be prepared in season and out

Gale A. Richards

Retired Pastor

For years I have written Bible-based devotionals, and occasionally have the opportunity to visit with someone about writing. The first question usually is, “Why do you do it?” The answer is one that believers understand and nonbelievers scoff at. Writing is part of God’s call on my life. I could no more stop writing than I could stop believing in God. This small talent came from Him, and through that talent I praise His name and witness to His presence in the world. To not write would be insulting toward the God of the universe.

Once a young person said to me, “I like to write, but there are so many other things to do that I only write when I feel like it. What do you do when you don’t feel like writing?”

I answered, “I write anyway.”

When God calls you to do something, you can’t only do it when you feel like it. That is disrespectful and a sin. God gives each of us talents. Those talents need to be developed through practice and diligent use. If you don’t develop your talent, you will be able to use it once in awhile in God’s work, but if you polish it up through diligent practice, your everyday life will give praise to God.

Doing something only when you feel like it is Satan’s way to distract you from God’s work. The Bible addresses this issue. In Galatians 6:9, Paul writes, “Do not grow weary of doing good.”, and in 2 Timothy 4:1, he adds, “Be prepared (to do God’s work) both in season and out…”

The do-it-when-I-feel-like-it attitude has dogged Christians for centuries, making them both grow weary and not be prepared. In Exodus 32:I-6, Moses is gone for 40 days talking with God.

The recently liberated Hebrew people grew weary of waiting for Moses to return so they had a party and sinned shamelessly. Jesus’ disciples shared this attitude. In Luke 9:46, they argued with each other about who was the greatest.

In Matthew 16:23, when Jesus was teaching about His upcoming suffering and death, Peter took Him aside and tried to correct His attitude. Later on, Peter would even deny Him three times.

Throughout time, God’s people have tried to convince themselves that if they are wealy of God’s work, it’s OK to do Satan’s work for awhile, and if society isn’t in the mood or the proper season for witnessing, than it’s OK not to witness. This just doesn’t make sense. Faith isn’t a when-I-feel-like-it thing. God has called us as His witnesses in all the world at all times.

When you feel weary of doing God’s work or others act like they don’t want to hear about it, the best thing to do is, to the best of your ability, witness anyway!

What a great way to show love and respect toward the God that created us.