No Better Time

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14 NAS)

Many of us have probably encountered times when our loved ones, our close friends or people we care about, have fallen ill but we were not informed about it. Perhaps this is because they don't feel a need to trouble us or want us to be upset over their circumstances. By the time we discover the truth, it is usually too late for us to do anything to help them, other than being present to watch them die or crumble under the weight of overwhelming problems that cannot be resolved. Such situations often hurt badly with us as much as with them. Our first thoughts upon realizing the truth would often be, "Huh? Why wasn't I informed about it until now? Don't they know I care for them to want to help them at the time of their need?" Sadly though, such situations do happen, and we seldom can do anything about it to improve the situations.

Uninformed surprises and shocks are not always welcomed. We do not like to be unaware of things happening, only to discover it at the last moment when it is too late to rectify, especially when it comes to circumstances like terminal conditions or problems that have been accumulated to the point of no return. As much as we dislike such situations, however, many of us are doing the exact same thing when it comes to reaching the world for Christ. We know the world needs Jesus, yet we fail to tell them about their condition of sin, and we often wait till the last moment to inform them, by which time it may be too late for them to make an intelligent or informed decision. No doubt, salvation is a matter of the heart, but unless pre-believers are informed beforehand about their need and condition, it may sometimes be too late for a dying person to make a correct decision at the last moment.

As believers, we owe it to the Lord and to the world to tell the unsaved of their condition and their need for salvation. How then will they call on the Lord in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher (Romans 10:14)? How can they know we care for them and are willing to help them at the time of their need unless we share with them the joy of our salvation? Let us therefore not be late in preaching the Word of God to our loved ones, to those whom we care, and to those who are lost. Let us not give them any shock or surprise at the last moment, for then they may wonder in their hearts why they have not been informed till now to share in this happiness we have in Jesus, and that can hurt badly with them as much as with us. Sadly, such situations do happen, and many of us as disciples of Christ have yet to realize and learn that the fields are already white for harvest, and the time of salvation is now, not later (John 4:35-36; 2 Corinthians 6:2).

Forgive us dear Lord for failing to seize the moments and times when we ought to be sharing Your Word and Your salvation to the people who are yet unsaved. Move our hearts Lord to know the urgency for us to bring them to receive You as Lord and Savior, sooner rather than later, that they may be able to enjoy a relationship with You while they are still in the condition to do so. Help us Lord to be sensitive to the needs of those around us that we may know how to reach them for You.