Procrastination

When Jan and Barb moved in together, they decided to set up a joint bank account where they both deposited money to pay rent and utilities. One month, Jan ran short of money and wrote a check from their bill-paying account. She planned to replace the money several days later when she got paid.

Jan intended to tell Barb about this, but she knew Barb would not be pleased. So Jan wanted to wait for the best time to break it to Barb. The first day seemed no good because Barb had a really rough day at work and she was already irritated. The second day seemed no better because they only saw each other for a few minutes while Barb was getting ready to go out on a date. By the third day, Jan had put it off for so many days that she sank into her comfortable TV-watching spot after work and forgot to mention it.

So, Barb wrote out a check to pay a utility bill without realizing there weren’t enough funds to cover it. The check bounced, and it cost them additional fees to clear up the bounced transaction.

* * *

In the Book of Exodus, Rameses (the Pharaoh of Egypt) futilely attempts to keep the Israelites as slaves after Moses continued to warn him that God's will was for His people to be released. Because of Pharoah's hardened heart, it took God (working through Moses) 10 plagues to finally convince Pharaoh to free the Isrealites. The 10th plague was the death of every first born son (also known as the Passover). The Israelites were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a lamb and upon seeing this, the Spirit of the Lord would pass over their home. Hence the term Passover.

Essentially, Rameses procrastinated in his decision to allow the Isrealites to leave. In doing so the Egyptians paid a terrible price and it took the death of his first born son (and heir) to finally convince him.

Although the Bible doesn't mention the word procrastination, it does make mention of the fact to not delay in such things as reconciling with others. Matthew 5:23-25 Sometimes, procrastination is a form of laziness and the Bible has much to say about that as well. Proverbs 15:19; 18:9


Dictionary.com defines procrastination as:

1.To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.

2.To postpone or delay needlessly.

Opportunities that we have today, may not be there tomorrow. Let's try to remember to make the most out of each day.

13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:13-14

I'll close this out by sharing message that I saw on a bumper sticker the other day...

"Those that seek God at the 11th hour end up dying at 10:30."

God bless you. And this is for His Glory.