What is Urgent in Your Life?

Jonah 3:1-5,10..."...Nineveh shall be destroyed..."

Psalm 25..."...Your ways, O Lord, make known to me..."

1 Cor. 7: 29-31..."...time is running out...the world in its present form is passing away."

Mark 1: 14-20... "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand.

Repent and believe in the gospel."

As I read these few words from today's readings I feel anxiety bubbling up inside. These words all seem to be laden with doom and gloom. It is only in the Psalm where I can find some comfort; asking for guidance from the wisdom of God.

The people of Nineveh were going about their normal tasks of living. They were oblivious to the impending destruction. The people of Paul's audience in Corinth were also no aware of how their world had deteriorated. In other words stop taking things for granted here in Corinth.

Jesus is baptized, driven into the desert to be tempted, John the Baptist is arrested. Jesus comes to Galilee proclaiming "...The kingdom of God is at hand...".

The timeline of our salvation was set into motion with urgency...'this is the time'...

If I don't take some kind of urgent action soon I am going to loose everything on my computer. Without boring you with the exact details I have literally used up all available space on my drive. I am in the process of making backup copies of all my files and especially my music, but it is unnerving to think if I save just one more file it could be laptop doomsday. I do feel a sense of urgency!

My favorite solution is to just buy a new computer with lots more memory...urgency dissolved. The people of Nineveh decided to fast and don sackcloth. The fishermen of Galilee left their boats and answered the call to follow Jesus.

Sometimes urgency is self inflicted by procrastinating. We have at times waited until the last minute to file our income taxes or meet some other approaching deadline. You may delay in taking care of your health until there is an urgent situation; like a heart attack or Type 2 diabetes.

No matter what our good intentions may be we are occasionally faced with something that is urgent.

"Now who is going to harm you if you are enthusiastic for what is good?" 1 Peter 3:13

These words I am afraid would not have brought comfort to the prophet Jonah. The people of Nineveh only had 40 days to get their act together and be spared from destruction. If you knew that you only had 40 days to prevent imminent disaster what would you do?

Will there always be a tomorrow?

Original photo: gold fabric, cross, crown of thorns, and candle.

I chose this photo because urgent situations come with crosses to bear as well as light for the future.

Pay attention to what might be becoming urgent in your life.