When its eighty degrees there is more emphasis to get to the point, what then if it were one hundred eighty?  The same decisions, contemplation’s and muses become desperate when the variables change in significant degree.  Determining where I will work and for how much becomes an unlikely deliberation if my family is starving, my wife or child sick or there is little work available.  It is in my nature to relax when the pressure is off, but why?  The voice of reason in my head says the same thing that the ant is saying all year long, better do the work now because at some point the weather will change and there won’t be any food stored away.  What is the origin of complacency?

We all know that tough times come and hopefully they go, though that is not always the case.  Why then, firmly tucked in this solid reality, would any of us sit back when the opportunity provides itself to get ahead a little in order to make it through the tough time that are inevitably around the corner?  It makes little if any sense, yet we all do it.  Why do we wish to relax, what is that desire to be comfortable, restful and frankly lazy?  For those of us who live in climates that change drastically between seasons, it is logical to get done the things that we may not attend to when it gets too cold or too hot.  Yet, we leave them until the last minute.  Why have we left all these problems in America until they are nearly past the breaking point?  Why did we have to be shaken from our slumber, instead of developing a cultural context of preparation and forethought.  If you want to see the largest single thing for which we receive disrespect around the globe it is that we are so blessed and yet take it all for granted, living regrettably paycheck to paycheck.  What causes us to adopt this concept that we can just rush and get it all done.  Rushed work is never as good as work that is carefully tended.

What then of our prayer life, our Bible studies ,our preparations for the Lord?  I know we don’t want to talk about it.  Okay, that is the same excuse or beg off that we used for not cleaning our rooms, doing our homework, straightening the garage, keeping up our checkbooks and taking down the Christmas lights.  When do the excuses end and our egos stop being so frail, tender and sensitive that we can actually take a realistic look at our prayer life?  I am no ones minder, no body’s steward, but my own and all these criticisms fit right here in the review of my own behaviors.  Well, I guess the only real way to be a good leader is to live by example.  Enough said.

Lord give us the courage to look at ourselves in truth and mindful reflection that we take accountability for our own walk in preparation to being found ready at your return.  We love you and ask forgiveness for those times we took things for granted, especially your loving kindness in forgiving our sins as an excuse to keep doing the same one time and again.  In Jesus’ Name.