How do you feel when you know you've wasted money? How do you feel when you know you've wasted time? Both of those situations frustrate me; perhaps you feel the same way. But what about the times when you've wasted opportunities, how do you feel then? Does it bother you when you know you had an opportunity to do a work for the Lord and you let it pass you by? What are the consequences of such procrastination? In what areas of responsibility do you tend to be lazy? Keep those thoughts in mind as we proceed through our study today....
Now that King David has taken care of things at home, he sets out to do battle with a sense of urgency and turns to his first commander with important instructions that must be followed in a timely fashion…
2 Samuel 20:4-5 (KJV)
Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three
days, and be thou here present. So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah:
but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
Maybe it's me, but I don't think those instructions sounded too difficult
to carry out or too complicated to follow, do you? He probably intended
to carry out the king's orders, but the Bible says Amasa tarried beyond
than the set time; he took longer than three days to complete his assignment.
Hmm, is this the kind of character trait you expect to see in one who
is a leader of others? I don't think so! Suppose for a moment you were
King David's first commander and he were to turn to you with that same
set of instructions, would you have loitered or would you have completed
the task in the appointed amount of time? Would the king's urgency become
yours?
1 Samuel 21:8 (KJV)
...for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because
the king's business requires haste.
Hebrews 3:15 (KJV)
While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts,
as in the provocation.
Ladies, guess what? We ARE first commanders! Our husbands are the kings of our homes, are they not? Well then, that makes us the first commanders as wives! And we ought to be reliable ones at that. The Bible says the king's business requires haste, not waste! Now think for a moment about those times when your husband turns to you with certain instructions that he would like carried out in a certain way and in an appointed amount of time - how do you usually respond? Like Amasa?? Do you start out with good intentions and end up off track somewhere along the way? If so, why? Don't you respect the king's wishes; don't you trust his judgment in what he has asked you to do? Do you not make your husband's burdens your own? Is unbelief causing you to drag your behind? Do you become entangled with the world somewhere along the way? Do you have the bad habit of putting off unpleasant or difficult tasks even when they are important to him? Perhaps it wasn't "convenient" for you to carry out your king's instructions… Just what is it that hinders you from faithfully assisting your husband in his goals? Would he say he has found in you a faithful helper?
Proverbs 31:10 (KJV)
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Matthew 24:45 (KJV)
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler
over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Now, some of you may think I am making a big deal over nothing, but ladies, procrastination is a deadly disease, and we'll see that through the life of Amasa as this study progresses. But for now, we must understand that as first commanders, we must operate with the same sense of urgency with which our king operates, whether we think the matter important or not! Just as Amasa one day agreed to help King David in his reign as king, we too agreed the day we married our husbands to help them reign as king. As first commanders in our homes we are leading our children, are we not? The question is, are we leading them into a life of procrastination, or immediate obedience?? Children must also learn the proper way to follow the instructions of the king, their father, for one day they will be taking direct instructions from the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ! How will they have learned to carry out even the smallest of instructions while under your influence? Do you demonstrate that the King of King's business requires haste or delay?? Are you content with the way your children have seen you accept responsibility in your home, or have they observed a lack of importance placed on the King and His instructions via the Word? What excuses do you make in front of your children for not doing the will of God? The ones you are using today are the ones they will one day employ… It's time we gave some serious thought to whether or not we are modeling procrastination or commitment to the King!
Luke 16:10 (KJV)
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and
he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Often we delay carrying out tasks that seem too large, too difficult, too boring, too disagreeable, or just plain senseless to us. But to continue putting them off shows a definite lack of discipline, poor stewardship of time, and in many cases, disobedience to God! Jobs we don’t enjoy require more concentration, more teamwork, twice as much time, lots of encouragement, and accountability. Remember this when you are tempted to procrastinate! Learn to be faithful even in that which is least so that God can trust you with weightier matters!
Proverbs 10:4-5 (KJV)
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent
maketh rich. He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth
in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
Ladies, procrastination is the result of a lazy heart toward authority and responsibility, and it's the reason for many of our failures! As Christians, we should be fervent in spirit. Every day has twenty-four hours filled with opportunities to grow, serve, and be productive, beginning right at home… Yet it is so easy to waste time, letting life slip from our grasp. Refuse to be a lazy person, sleeping or frittering away the hours meant for productive work, and exchange that worthless attitude in for a willing heart! If a person is not willing to work, he or she can find endless excuses to avoid it. The less you do, the less you want to do, and the more useless you become. How valuable do you think Amasa was as a leader to King David once he procrastinated? Not very! Be an asset to your husband, not a liability. To keep your excuses from making you useless, stop making useless excuses! See time as God’s gift, and seize your opportunities to live diligently for your King!
Psalm 119:60 (KJV)
I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 1999 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2004
