Zane Grey turned his interest in the west into a series of best-selling, made-into-movies books. Grey loved fishing, and could never fish enough. When on the rivers or oceans, he forced himself to rise early to write, then write late at night. When at home he had a harder time getting to his writings. As his biographer said, “he would keep putting off the inevitable moment....” Frank Gruber, 214.
Writing a lesson or sermon; making a necessary call; or giving one’s self to important but unwelcome administrative work, can all suffer from our procrastination. Jesus never suffered procrastination to delay him, whatever he faced. At age 12 he remained behind when his parents returned to Nazareth. That’s where he HAD TO BE. Though we might think that, as a 12 year-old, he had more than enough time to prepare before he began preaching at age 30. On the night of his arrest Jesus went, “as usual” Luke 22:39, to the Mount of Olives. Though he knew shame, disgrace and humiliation awaited him there. Timeliness, not delay, motivated him. He approached Lazarus’ tomb, John 11:34-35, with tears in his eyes and trouble in his mind. But by going directly there he performed the greatest miracle of his career, knowing it would bring his death at the behest of the Sanhedrin. He had much the same experience in Gethsemane. He went beyond the three disciples in an agony of distress, facing the certainty of separation from God’s presence for the first time EVER. In the turmoil between emotion and reason he momentarily sought avoidance of the Cross, but as quickly submitted to God’s will. Because he accepted God’s will he won the battle of Calvary in the Garden of Gethsemane. He ENDURED the Cross for the JOY set before him Hebrews 12:2. May we all go and do likewise when facing the Master’s demand that we deny ourselves daily and take up his cross!
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