doctor's life support

7th November: All the Time in the World -- or is there?

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour... Matthew 25:13

There are several lessons to learn from the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. The first and most obvious concerns the danger of being ultimately unprepared for the coming of the Lord -- the Bridegroom -- and finding ourselves shut out from the wedding feast as those he has never known (Mt 25:12). But the danger of putting things off is present throughout our everyday life.

In Ephesians 4:26-27 Paul warns us about unresolved disputes and the use the devil can make of them. Perhaps you are reading this at the end of a frustrating day in the wards when you have spoken hasty words. Don't go to bed without doing something about it. Jesus said that our worship is valueless if there is anger in our hearts. If others have reason to hold anything against us, then that must be sorted out between us before our service to him is acceptable (Mt 5:23-24). It may be too late today to find the staff who were on the receiving end of our sharp tongue, they may be off duty now, but we can confess our sin to God, and apologise at the earliest opportunity. We may feel that we were justified in what we said or did -- `for the good of the patient' -- but Christ warns us that anger can lead to sin. The assumption that our demands are paramount is the antithesis of his humility, and we are told that we should forgive one another `as God in Christ forgave you' (Eph 4:32), totally, unreservedly and without remembering the wrong.

If we go to bed tonight unrepentant and unforgiven, before we realise it we shall be on the wards again, facing the very people whom we wronged, or who, we imagine, wronged us. Bitterness festers, harboured grudges grow, and positions become entrenched. The devil has his chance. Start each day forgiven and cleansed before God. Right any wrongs between ourselves and others as soon as practicable after they have occurred. Never put off until tomorrow what you can -- and should -- do today!

Heavenly Father, we thank you that your Son knew frustration,
loneliness, disappointment and irritation during his earthly
life. Forgive us when we wrong others, speak hastily and hurt our
colleagues. May we be saved from the sin of procrastination and
be humble enough to make amends quickly.

Further reading: Mt 25:1-13. Eph 4:25-32.

TAG