Geoffrey Chaucer, a great English poet, spoke a couple of truths that we all probably can agree with- Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained; and Time and Tide wait for no man. Thinking about these two quotations makes us wonder if any of you have missed an opportunity or two in your lives. Regretfully, we must admit that we have; but what about you? Is there something that you know you should have done or have started but just have not? What are you waiting on?
A Missed Opportunity
The other day one of our colleagues was excitedly talking about his upcoming trip to Tennessee. He had planned to visit a person whom he had never met. However, Barry said that he felt like he knew her because of her kindness to his family. While working for county government, this person, P.M., had met Barry’s grandfather. He recalls P.M. speaking kindly about his grandfather. Then a few years later, P. M. sent a plant in sympathy when Barry’s mom passed. And yes, the family had acknowledged P.M.; but Barry said that he felt an urge to seek her out on this trip. If for no other reason, just to say, Thank you, again.
While sharing his plans with us, unbeknownst to Barry, P.M. had died in October, 2021. How many times have we put off doing something until it is too late? God Has Spoken Ministry (GHSM) does not want that to happen to you. We don’t want you to get caught up in the procrastination game. And please do not fall into an I can’t do it moment where you are afraid to venture out because you do not want to fail.
Trust God
Think about it! The legend, Michael Jordan, did not make the high school basketball team. The coach cut him during the tryouts for the team. The Grand Ole Opry fired Elvis Presley after his first performance. They told Elvis to go back to driving a truck. President Abraham Lincoln’s proposal of marriage was rejected; he was fired from his job as a store clerk; and he was defeated several times when he ran for Congress. But not one of these three stopped venturing out. They did not allow defeat to deny them success.
What about you? Have you allowed defeat or obstacles in your life to keep you from reaching your goals?
God never ceases to amaze us with His omniscience. He knew that some of us might try to allow defeat or obstacles to keep us from pursuing our dreams. Thus, the Holy Ghost inspired the Apostle Paul to write, Romans 8:28. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (NLT) Do you love God? Are you a believer in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Yes? Well, then, Romans 8:28 applies to you.
Head Up, Keep Moving
Head up, move forward, knowing that every obstacle, every moment of defeat is bringing you into a better place.
Think about how many times Simon Peter failed. One of those times is when he tried to walk to Jesus on water. Losing his focus, Peter allowed fear to replace faith. He began to sink. But at least he got out of the boat. Nothing ventured; nothing gained. https://www.gotquestions.org/Peter-walking-on-water.html
Time Will Not Wait
We do not know what took Barry so long to connect with P.M. His goal did not seem like it was hard to accomplish. Barry was disappointed but he learned a valuable lesson. Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Even if he had not had the opportunity to visit P.M. before she died; he still could have called her and had the satisfaction of the connection.
One of Chaucer’s famous quotes is, Time and Tide wait for no man. No matter how you may try, you cannot stop the tide from going out from or coming to the shore. Nor can you stop the passage of time. The sovereign God is the only One who can interfere with the flowing of the tide and the passage of time. And so, our message is, Let’s get busy. Stop missing those opportunities. Use your faith in God to drive away your fears.
God’s Will
One time while out walking, Jesus and his disciples encountered a blind man. The disciples were curious about the cause of the man’s blindness. Responding, Jesus explained that the man had been born blind so that God would be glorified when the man was healed. Then Jesus stated, 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. (John 9:4, NLT)
God does not want us to procrastinate. God does not want us to allow fear to control our lives. He wants us to have this confidence in Him whether it is our careers or just telling someone about Jesus-that He is on the scene, guiding and directing us. And oh yes, all believers have the same assignment when it comes to unbelievers regardless of our vocations. Tell them about Jesus!
God Has Spoken Ministry (GHSM); Celebrating God: The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost!