Only For Awhile By Carl McMurray

In John 7:33, Jesus told the Jews, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I go to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me, and where I am, you cannot come.” This is one of many places where Jesus warned about the blessings of the heavenly Father not being available forever.

He stands at the door of our heart and knocks. He is willing to come into our lives with the Father and rebuild a relationship with us. But sooner or later the knocking will stop. Jesus will go on to the one who will open his heart.

The sower sows kingdom seed by the use of God’s word, but he does not stay and pamper the new little plant with it’s soft roots. The sower moves on looking for the next spot of good soil that will be receptive to the seed. The ground has a responsibility in the parable of the sower to nourish the seed, resist the thorns, and give depth to the roots that will outlast the heat of the day.

We have a good shepherd who cares for us. I suppose as long as sheep are allowed into the open pasture there will be some who will run over the cliff’s edge. There will be those who refuse to come to the fold at the voice of the shepherd and are taken by wolves as they walk in darkness.

Heart doors remain closed, hard ground refuses seed, and sheep run away from their shepherd. Jesus is with us and opportunity and blessing is present, but not forever, and not without some care on our part.

Children are in our lives only a few years. If we will not take the time to share their laughter when young, we most assuredly will be partakers in their tears when they are older. The opportunities for sowing will be gone and only the reaping is left. Friends draw close to us and spiritually help us. We can profit from them and share with them, returning the strength, or we can use them up and ignore them until we look around one day and they are gone. Invitation songs are sung and prayers are offered up earnestly. We can put aside our pride and respond to the invitation of Jesus Christ. We can gain much from godliness or we can continue to procrastinate until our Savior becomes our judge. Until times of repenting turn into times of remorse.