NOW!

For many comedians their success depends upon timing. They say "timing is everything." That joke that gets a laugh and the one that fails to get any response might be told with the same words, but different timing. It wouldn’t seem funny to say "take my wife please." But if the timing is right then it becomes funny. "Take my wife, PLEASE!"

There are many things in life that we must learn to do while we have the TIME. In this article I would like for us to consider three things that must be done while the time is right.

First, I would like us to understand the need children have to be loved during the first few years of their lives. Almost everyone agrees that from birth to three years is extremely important in the development of a child's personality.

Parents and grandparents need to understand that a child will only go through this age once. During these important years adults need to find the time to hold their child, to talk with them, sing to them, tell them stories, roll on the floor with them, and to tell them you love them. Many parents have worked hard to provide things for their children only to learn too late that what their children really needed was not things, but time with them.

"MAYBE NEXT TIME"

A child smiles into his mother's eyes and she tells him he is an inconvenience.

His laughter fills the house and someone complains of the noise.

He hugs mommy's and daddy's neck and they worry that their clothes might be mussed.

He cries,

He dies,

And all cry for his return...

Mother understands how precious the gift,

Father finally finds the time, only he is gone.

Maybe next time they will understand... if they receive another gift.

The second thing we must do now is to give. It is often said "you can't take it with you." We are aware of this fact, yet all too often we live as if we can take it with us.

Mark 12:48 tells us of a widow who gave all that she had. What would have happened if she had held on to it just a little longer? As the expensive perfume was being poured on Jesus feet, there were those who saw waste instead of an act of love. Joseph of Arimathea could have saved his tomb, but he offered it to Jesus when Jesus had the need. The boy could have kept his fish and loaves, but gave them when there was a need. We need to learn to give NOW!

The last thing we need to do now is to repent. In Luke 16, we find the story of the rich man and Lazarus. What a pitiful picture is shown. The rich man pleads for Lazarus to "dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am in agony in this flame."

The reply is sobering. He is reminded that while he lived on earth he rejected God and partook of the pleasure of this world and now it is impossible to pass over to the other side.

We need to repent NOW!

Brother Dave