IMMEDIATELY

I Was Just Thinking About – IMMEDIATELY.

We live in a culture where anything immediate seems to be foreign to most. The mentality is that one can get around to it without specificity of when or how. Forgotten is the definition of the word immediate. It means: “without lapse of time; without delay; instantly; at once.” It is interesting that the Antonym for immediate is “later.”

When Jesus Christ began His earthly ministry, He chose disciples to be part of His ministry. The nature and substance of the call is in Matthew 4:18-22, “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. Come, follow Me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men. And immediately - at once - they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately – at once - they left the boat and their father and followed Him.”

Compare the “immediate” and “at once” response of the disciples with Luke 14:15-20 when an invitation had been proffered to attend a great banquet. The text indicates that Jesus said: “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, Come, for everything is now ready. But one after another, they all began to make excuses. The first one said, I have bought a field and I need to go see it. Please excuse me. Another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen and I am going to try them out. Please excuse me. Still another said, I have married a wife, so I cannot come.”

Excuses rather than an immediate response; sometime but not at once; personal priorities rather than honoring preparer of the banquet feast and table. Some excuses are similar to five excuses offered by Moses in Exodus 3 and 4 when God had chosen him to lead His people out of bondage: (1) 3:11-12, Who am I? (2) 3:13-15, I don’t have authority! (3) 4:1-9, The people won’t believe me! (4) 4:10-11, I lack the ability to carry out this assignment! And (5) 4:12-17, Send someone else, please. I just do not feel equal to the task and even if I did, I don’t want to be the one to do it. Just think if Peter and Andrew, James and John had responded to Jesus and His calling of them to be His disciples.

There is a sharp distinction between between immediate and at once when compared with excuses to attend a banquet or lead God’s people out of their captivity. How do you respond to opportunities to serve your Lord and Master? Are you a “get a round to it” person – or – do your respond by the action of immediate and at once?’

Prayerfully – consider these things with me.