FROM THE SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR "NOW"

This article is for everyone, but especially for procrastinators like myself. We are a big club. We do a lot of damage. One of the words we really hate is the word 'now.' Our club motto is 'Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow.' We might laugh about it, but procrastination is not funny--it is dangerous and can even be fatal.

First of all, we do not even know if there will be a tomorrow; and second, there may not be enough time tomorrow to do what I have been putting off doing. I know, I know because I do it myself too often: I tell myself: 'I'm so busy and have so many things to do that I must be efficient--I must prioritize my tasks. But too often the things I am busy doing today are not as important as what I am putting off until tomorrow--or the next day--or next week--or next month.' And too often I wait so long that no matter how hard I work and how serious I am there is just not enough time to get done what I have put off doing. 

People at the time of Noah had many years to listen to Noah and repent, but they didn't. Then the door of the ark was closed and it was too late for them. (Genesis 5-7)  The foolish maidens put off getting oil for their lamps and missed the party (Matthew 25).

We are running out of time to sponsor candidates for weekend #100. Time is short, but it is not yet too late to fill these weekends with 42 candidates each. But we better do it NOW! There was some urgency when Elisha was called to follow Elijah, and his response was immediate--he did it NOW (1 Kings 19). When Jesus called His disciples (Peter and Andrew in Mark 1) He called them to follow Him NOW, not later. 

Well, my friends and fellow procrastinators, we are running out of time--soon it will be too late to sponsor candidates for weekend #100. Getting as many candidates as possible (my weekend had 42, and we need to get back to that) is not just important, it is critical. It is the same for Via de Cristo as for any congregation: if we are not growing, we are dying. You may not want to hear that, but it is true. We need to replace those already in heaven with new candidates. 

We can choose not to do that. Those who have served before us were so successful that we can coast for awhile on their accomplishments, but sooner or later we will die. I don't want Via de Cristo to die. I don't want to be part of a dying organization. 

A celebration party is planned to remember and thank God for 100 weekends. We will celebrate the dedicated service of many who have served before us--and many of them are already in heaven--and praise God for that. They sponsored candidate after candidate for many years; but they cannot sponsor any more candidates now. That's for us to do. In thanksgiving for what was given us, we give to others by sponsoring new candidates NOW. Our celebration is on the weekends, not at some party later. God's Word is clear about this. But God speaks to us in many other ways. 

I drink a bit of coffee, and the little packets of sweetener I use has little sayings on them. A few weeks ago I read 'Every day is a new opportunity' and then 'The perfect moment is NOW.'  Yesterday I read 'Replace "I wish" with "I will."'  Today I finally wrote these words to myself and to you. This is important. It is not yet too late to sponsor candidates for weekend #100. Please do that. Are the words "Christ is counting on you" just words we heard on our weekend and words on a cross we wear, or do these words remind and inspire us to bless others by sponsoring them for a weekend--for weekend #100.

I am now serving a church in Dodge City, Kansas, but God has made it possible for me to be at the closing of the men's weekend on May 4. I want to welcome 42 new candidates. Will you help that happen? 

God loves you and so do I!

Pastor Bob Allmann

LVCCM Spiritual Director