“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4). Jesus said that. There are two key words in this statement.
The first word is “must.” You can hear the intensity in the Lord’s voice as He said, “I must.” That phrase appears in the imperative mood. That means it’s a command that demands action. Jesus was compelled to do the works of His Father.
The second key word is “while.” Jesus said He must do the works of God, “while it is day.” The sense of urgency comes from the fact that no one knows how long “while” is. It may be a year, a month, a day, or even an hour. Jesus did the work of God with a sense of urgency because He knew there was only so much time. The day of opportunity would not last forever. Soon the night would come and the opportunity to work would be over.
To each of us God has given a work, and there is limited time to do it. I think especially of parents with children still at home. You have been given a window of opportunity to mold and shape your child’s life for God. Right now you have the opportunity to influence your children for Jesus. To lead by example. To make an investment that promises eternal dividends. Please, don’t squander this most precious opportunity. Make the most of it. Work while it is day.
For every person there is a night coming when no more work can be done. Whether it is at death, or when our opportunity to work is gone, we must work while it is yet day. So redeem [lit., rescue from loss] the time (Eph. 5:16). Postpone your procrastination. Seize the moment God has given. Live in such a way that when the day is past and the night has come you will be able to say, not with regret, but with the joy of a task accomplished, “It is finished!”
Pastor Todd Weston
The first word is “must.” You can hear the intensity in the Lord’s voice as He said, “I must.” That phrase appears in the imperative mood. That means it’s a command that demands action. Jesus was compelled to do the works of His Father.
The second key word is “while.” Jesus said He must do the works of God, “while it is day.” The sense of urgency comes from the fact that no one knows how long “while” is. It may be a year, a month, a day, or even an hour. Jesus did the work of God with a sense of urgency because He knew there was only so much time. The day of opportunity would not last forever. Soon the night would come and the opportunity to work would be over.
To each of us God has given a work, and there is limited time to do it. I think especially of parents with children still at home. You have been given a window of opportunity to mold and shape your child’s life for God. Right now you have the opportunity to influence your children for Jesus. To lead by example. To make an investment that promises eternal dividends. Please, don’t squander this most precious opportunity. Make the most of it. Work while it is day.
For every person there is a night coming when no more work can be done. Whether it is at death, or when our opportunity to work is gone, we must work while it is yet day. So redeem [lit., rescue from loss] the time (Eph. 5:16). Postpone your procrastination. Seize the moment God has given. Live in such a way that when the day is past and the night has come you will be able to say, not with regret, but with the joy of a task accomplished, “It is finished!”
Pastor Todd Weston