MOVING THE ANCIENT BOUNDARIES

“…we ought to do now!” An old saying I grew up with and was never more clearly illustrated to me than this week.

If you’ve visited my Face Book page you saw and hopefully enjoyed the beautiful yellow flowers and farmland pastures I posted last week. I had returned from Longview, Texas, with a tight schedule and enjoyed the yellow-petal-path along I20 from Longview, through Tyler, until I reached the Edom/Van exit. Then this field called me—Stop. Take my picture.

The voice in my head argued—Those flowers will be here next week. You can photograph them then. You don’t have time today. And they proceeded to march soldier cadence through my mind—all the commitments, chores, and chaos waiting for me at home.

But thank goodness, I turned the chatter volume down and granted myself the privilege of pausing, turning off the freeway, and spending thirty or so minutes recording the grace and beauty of God’s creation.

Because this week they were gone—destroyed in the tornadoes that ripped through Van, Texas, Sunday evening around dark.
When I saw the reports on the news it never occurred to me my field was in the bulls-eye of this devil storm’s destruction. Until Monday, when I drove that same route again.

Mama’s words—What you ought to do…you ought to do now—echoed in my heart and mind since then, reminding me of a time many years ago when I heard another urging to mend a relationship. Those same you-do-not-have-time voices chanted in my head, but I chose to stop and invite the couple to dinner and restore our friendship. The very next week the wife died.

What actions have you delayed, denied, or declined to do that the voice in your spirit has urged you to act upon?
Storms of life arrive without warning—tsunamis of grief—leaving emotional bondage that lasts a lifetime if not settled or mended before life ends. Hurricanes of turmoil that could have been avoided if we had chosen another route of travel. Or earthquakes of ruin because of foolish, ungodly decisions.

As you read this, I’m sure God is placing His finger of warning smack-dab on that relationship, bondage, or troublesome habit. What you ought to do…you ought to do now! Because you don’t know if there will ever be another opportunity before Jesus comes, or He calls you, or them home.
Or the object of concern morphs into something much more serious. More destructive. More life changing. More deadly.

What is the Spirit of the Lord whispering, perhaps shouting that you ought to do?
YOU OUGHT TO DO NOW!