It’s Getting Dark Outside

January 2, 2019

As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. John 9:4 NIV

Summer is full of beauty; also full of projects and work. Most of us hustle home from work to get about the mostly enjoyable tasks of mowing, planting, weeding, caring for the yard, and the occasional painting or building projects. The weather is warm, and the daylight is longer, so we have an opportunity to extend our productive hours. Even so, we are aware that the night is coming, and the productive hours will be over. As twilight comes and darkness descends, we become more urgently focused. We want to get the job done.

Jesus was familiar with this principle. He lived in a world without electricity. There was no opportunity to extend the daylight hours. When night fell, it was over. There was no more opportunity for work. He said that in a spiritual sense the same is true. Our time is limited. We cannot afford to waste it. Our personal time and the time of everyone we know who needs Jesus is waning. We simply cannot afford to waste time. The stakes are too high. The need is too great. If we have an opportunity to love and witness and share the transforming love of Jesus, we must be about it. Night is coming. The opportunity will be over before we know it.

We all know that no one lives forever, yet so often we live as though we will. One day it will be our last opportunity to accept Christ; one day it will be our last opportunity to share Jesus. Let’s get after it. It’s getting dark outside.

• Whom do you know who is living today without the personal experience of the transforming and liberating love of Jesus?
• Pray for them that they will be open and receptive.
• Pray for yourself, that you will make it a part of your “why” to share that love in words and action.