Today’s scripture: Isaiah 56:9-12 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Jeff Miner):
Isaiah continues his critique of Israel’s ruling class in today’s reading. He refers to the prophets as “sentinels who are blind.” He compares them to dogs that fail to bark to warn of approaching danger. He refers to the rulers as “shepherds who have no understanding.” In verse 12, he gives us a glimpse into the mentality of Israel’s rulers:
“Come,” they say, “let us get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink. And tomorrow will be like today, great beyond measure!”
Get the picture? Everything was falling apart in Israel, but the rulers refused to face the facts. They pretended that everything was great, and spent their time drinking and partying, instead of buckling down and dealing with big problems.
I find myself wanting to do that all the time – not the drinking and partying part — but the denial and procrastination part. For example, at home I have an office that, over the course of 20 years, accumulated lots of stacks of papers and files. Every time I worked on a project, I felt pressed for time. So when the project was finished, the paperwork got added to a stack for future filing. “Someday,” I thought, “I’ll go through all those stacks.” But almost 20 years came and went, and I never made time. When I did have a few hours free, I wanted to spend it doing something fun, not clearing my office. Every time I’d walk into my office, I’d think, “Wow, I need to clean this up, but not today.”
Then one day, a couple months ago, something came over me and I just dove into it. I sorted and filed and threw things away for four solid hours, and when I was done I felt so unburdened — I had cleared away 20 years of accumulated clutter in my life! And now, every time I walk into my office, I get a wonderful feeling. I wish I had acted years ago.
Let’s each one think about where in our lives we are yielding to the temptation to procrastinate. Consider these questions:
- Is there a conversation I need to have, but keep putting off?
- Are there financial issues that I keep avoiding?
- Are there new patterns or habits I need to establish to nurture my spiritual life?
- Do I need to change my health habits to take better care of my body?
Thought for the Day: People who procrastinate eventually face the same fate as Israel, whose problems eventually caused their collapse. Where in my life do I need to summon the strength to fight inertia and take action?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.