As many of you know, I’m in the midst of moving places of residence. I’ve sold my home and bought a condo closer to the church, about 15 minutes away. It’s been hard going through years of memories and oodles of stuff, paring down the collection. Its been hard to go through mine and Antoine’s stuff, what to keep, what to cast aside.

Its come down to the final week before the move. I’ve had the date of the move set for a few weeks now, no surprises on that end. Even with all the foreknowledge of move dates and all, I am still packing as of the writing of this Wednesday Word. My problem is, I’ve drug my feet, packing a few boxes here and there, not really getting in a hurry. I’ve procrastinated all this time, and here I am running full speed ahead, racing against the clock to get it all done.

This leads me to what I wanted to flesh out, procrastination. What makes some of us such procrastinators? Why do we do it? It can heap stress and untold anxiety on us, and we know that, yet we continue in that vein. Is it an avoidance mechanism? Are we trying to avoid something we’d rather not face or confront? Do we push it to the back burner in hopes that something will change in the meantime? One person said to me in my circumstance, maybe I’m dragging my feet because I don’t want to leave behind the memories Antoine and I shared in this place. There could be some merit to that thought.

When it comes to our relationship with God, do we procrastinate there as well? Think about it, do we engage in daily prayer time with God? Do we procrastinate when it comes to spending time with God in study, meditation, prayer, worship?

Too often, I think, we find ways to avoid engaging God on a daily basis. After all, God is always there, right? God is always listening, right? We can approach God anytime, right?

Here’s the thing about procrastinators, we can approximate how much time we really need to get something done. We don’t rush, because we know in the end we can get done what needs to be done.

Do we treat our relationship with God the same way? If God is always there, always listening, always present, always ready to engage, then what’s the big deal? We can do it anytime, therefore we do it very little of the time.

What would our relationship with God, and others, be like if we attended to it daily? Not just when we are rushing about and needing desperately to be in touch with God and those significant persons in our lives. What are we avoiding when it comes to time with God? Are there things in our lives we would just as well not deal with in conversation with God? Maybe we already know what God will say to us about how we have neglected neighbors, friends, loved ones, persons in need. Maybe we know God will lay it on us about how lonely God has been for our company. Its possible God will show us all our shortcomings in how we ought to be God’s witness to the world.

Procrastinators know deep down, why they really engage in that behavior. They know what keeps them from doing what is right before them. In my walk with God, I know when I’ve not held up my end of the bargain, and so I try to avoid too much close contact. In real conversation with God, I see where I need to be a doer and not just a sayer. In those deep moments with God, God shows me how much I’m missing when I don’t stay in regular contact. Those are convicting things for me. I know God loves me and wants the best for me. I know I owe God my very best as I act in the world around me.

Pray for me, and all the procrastinators, that we will get a fire lit in our belly to get those things done that are before us. Pray that we don’t procrastinate in our relationship with God, that we will experience true harmony, true peace, true love from the One who loves us always.

Okay, okay, I know, I’m procrastinating still. Back to the boxes, got to get it done! All of you are in the forefront of my mind every day. I continue to look forward to the time when we will see one another again, in person! Please mark your calendars for May 23rd, Pentecost Sunday. It is going to be a great day, and I definitely will not be procrastinating when it comes to being ready!

Love and Peace,

Pastor Tom