JULY 24 – WHY ARE YOU WAITING?

“And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).

Many people have lost great blessings because of delaying things. How could an army win if the weapons and food are not supplied to them in time during war times? How could a person continue in his job if he remains as a habitual late-comer? How could a child improve in education if it goes to school late regularly?

You dislike the blessings arriving late. If the money you have to receive does not reach you in time, you lose your patience. If an urgent letter arrives late to you, you are upset and feel sad about that. At the same time, you have to think deeply about whether it is right on your part to delay things for God.

Some people will always be late to church services. They will not be present in the church during worship, song or prayer and enter the church during sermon time. This may prevent them from receiving the divine blessings fully. Some people will delay the Salvation, some will delay the baptism and some others will delay in commencing ministries. The Scripture says, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).

You could delay anything but not Salvation. One should receive the Salvation by standing near the Cross and saying with tears, “Lord, accept me today itself. Wash me with your blood. Cleanse me.” No one knows when the Coming of God will be. How sad it will be if one is left behind for the reason that he or she had not been saved till that time!

It had been decided to destroy Sodom. The Lord decided to rain brimstone and fire on Sodom and destroy it fully. Before doing this, God pitied Lot and sent angels to protect Lot and his family. The Scripture says, “And while he lingered” (Genesis 19:16). He did not want to come out of Sodom. His eyes were fully focussed on the fertile lands there.

In the end, the angels who noticed the hesitation of Lot forcibly pulled him out of Sodom. Dear children of God, this world is placed as prey for the fire. There is no true great thing in the world for one to place his faith or desire. So, never delay Salvation citing any reason.

To meditate: “Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20).