It's later than it's ever been

Alvin, Barrett, Brandon, Dalton, Eldon, Isaac, Jason, John, Ken, Larry, Scott, Shaun. Those are the names that surfaced in our foxhole. Men who run in the same circles as we do, who the Holy Spirit had laid on our hearts. Some of them need to meet Jesus. All need a community of Christian men to call friends. Our committed prayer for the month of October? That in the coming months we can connect with them as friends, show them the love of Jesus, and expose them to the blessing of authentic Christian male fellowship. After that, who knows? We’ll see what the Spirit does.
 
And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  -Romans 13:11

With these guys on my mind this morning, I came across this verse and it hit me like a sledgehammer. When I was a high school student, we had a youth pastor who used to tell us, "It's later than it's ever been." Silly, simple, profound. History marches on. God is not bound by time, but I am. He is infinite, but I am finite. What am I chasing? What do I get worked up about? Am I investing my time, or just spending it?

The "this" that Paul is urging the Roman Christ-followers to do is found in the previous verses:

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. [All] The commandments... are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.  -Romans 13:8-10

The people in my life are what matters. Those closest and those who cross my path only briefly, maybe just once. Am I loving them well? Am I showing them a picture of Jesus? Lord, help me see people the way you see them. Help me look at my day-to-day with eternity in mind. Help me understand the present time.

Speaking of looking and seeing and understanding, I hope you will make plans to be with us at the Lodge next Friday, October 5, 6:15 AM. We will hear a story from Blake Pointer. It's a story about vision. It's not only compelling in its own right, but it will set the stage for where we will be going in Convoy in the coming months and beyond. Don´t miss it!

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.  -Ecclesiastes 3:11