John 9:4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. NLT
A wonderful story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer was told in "Our Daily Bread" daily devotional, November 10 1991. At the height of World War II Dietrich Bonhoeffer was imprisoned for taking a stand against Hitler. Yet he continued to urge fellow believers to resist Nazi tyranny. A group of Christians, believing that Hitler was the Antichrist, asked Bonhoeffer, “Why do you expose yourself to all this danger? Jesus will return any day, and all your work and suffering will be for nothing.” Bonhoeffer replied, “If Jesus returns tomorrow, then tomorrow I’ll rest from my labor. But today I have work to do. I must continue the struggle until it’s finished.”
There are a number of God's children with a heavenly mandate for their generation. Attached to their names are souls of men awaiting when they'll step out to rescue them. However, some persons in this category are foot-dragging and dilly-dallying. They have one excuse or the other why they are yet start out on what God has called them to do. There is another group of persons who are doing the work God has called them to do but they aren't passionate about it. They are lazy, they see kingdom service as a second option or side job. The zeal for the work is lacking. They think they have all the time to do the work of God forgetting that every kingdom assignment is always within a specific time frame. God intend to do great things through people in these categories but their attitude to kingdom has limited them.
We have a role model in Jesus and the apostles. In Corinthians 9:16, Paul said, "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" Paul threw himself into the work and he stood out from among others. Dearest, do not be lazy about kingdom assignments. Don't use ministry as your retirement plan if God has called you. The day time is work time. There'll always be a night time when no man work. Don't do at 60 what you ought to do at 30. Time is going,
very soon, our time will be up and we'll all return to give account to our master. We'll rest from our labours someday if we labour. Apostle Paul enjoined us in Romans 12:11 saying, "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;".
Father, I receive grace for fruitful labour in the kingdom in Jesus name.