Jasper’s a bit lazy
Every believer eventually faces it.
“Tomorrow,” he whispered.
It was just another ordinary weekday evening, one where the clock seemed to stand still. Jasper slumped on the couch, the remote control a lifeless object in his hand. Images flickered across the screen: some game show, yet another commercial, and then the news. Nothing that really grabbed him, but it filled the silence in the house. His wife was already in bed, the children long since asleep. The house breathed that typical evening calm he used to cherish. But now? Now it felt different. As if the silence wanted to tell him something he’d rather not hear.
On the small table beside him lay a Bible. It had been there for weeks, maybe even months. Dust had settled on it. Sometimes he’d trace a finger over it, more out of habit than genuine interest. “Tomorrow,” he’d whisper to himself. “Tomorrow, I’ll pick it up again.” But that tomorrow never came. There was always something. Work running late, the kids needing to go to sports, groceries still needing to be done… Life had him in such a soft, warm grip that he just couldn’t seem to break free. A kind of numbness from which he wasn’t shaken awake.
That was a long time ago
He had to think back to earlier days, when he still went to his church weekly. Not because he had to, but because he genuinely sought something there. Answers, friends, or just that inner peace he had missed so much. But that was a long time ago. Now he only went on major holidays, and then mostly for his wife. “What’s in it for me?” he’d grumbled to the neighbor recently when invited to a Bible study group. “All that talk about God and faith – it doesn’t change anything in my life anyway.” The words rolled off his tongue so easily, as if he’d practiced them a thousand times.
Strange, really, how that attitude had crept in. As if someone had whispered to him that seeking God was a bit old-fashioned. Something for the elderly, or for people who hadn’t quite grasped life yet. He was a modern man, wasn’t he? Good job, fancy car, flying vacations… What more could he possibly need? Yet, there was that emptiness. That nagging restlessness that often overwhelmed him in the evenings, when the daily hustle subsided. Then he suddenly felt so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. As if his life was actually about nothing, despite all the busyness.
Serious talk with God
He continued to zap. A documentary about wild animals in Africa. Beautiful images, but his thoughts drifted. When had he last truly prayed? Not a hasty “thank you” before a meal, but a serious conversation with God? He couldn’t remember. “Praying is just talking to yourself,” his colleague had claimed a while back. “A kind of self-therapy. Nothing more.” And he had nodded, as if agreeing. But somewhere, deep down, he knew it wasn’t true. That there was more.
Uncomfortable questions
The clock ticked on. Half past ten already. Early start for work tomorrow. He got up and stretched. His gaze fell once more on that Bible. His hand hovered over it hesitantly. But no, he was tired. And what would he find in it that he hadn’t heard a hundred times already? As he turned off the light, he wondered if this was it. This life full of small tasks, small worries, small pleasures. Or if there should be more. But he pushed that question away, just as he had been pushing away all uncomfortable questions lately.
Upstairs, he heard his wife tossing in bed. She’d been sleeping restlessly lately. Maybe she missed it too – that depth, that connection to something greater than herself. But they didn’t talk about it. As if there was a silent agreement to avoid such topics. He closed the living room door behind him. The Bible remained in the dark, waiting for a tomorrow that might never come.
The sower
How much do you actually want to serve God, and truly take the time to read His Word, to pray? For some, it might be second nature, but others shrug their shoulders and think: oh well…, good for someone else, but not for me. And then there are those who started with great enthusiasm, but gradually it faded a bit.
It reminds me of Jesus’ story about the sower. Not every seed that was scattered came to full fruition. Hopefully most did, but there was also seed that was simply lost. It fell on rocky ground, where the heart remained cold and hard, with no room for the seed to grow. That was the fleeting listening to a sermon, or dutifully reading a passage from the Bible, without really being moved by it. Such a seed couldn’t germinate, wasn’t given time, no depth.
Such a shame
Sometimes the seed also fell among thorns. Then there were prickly, irritated reactions to a sermon that was actually meant to direct our hearts to God, instead of all those earthly concerns. You often hear: “I don’t notice God, He doesn’t speak to me, and I don’t think He listens either.” Such a shame, and so sad this is. It won’t be God’s fault.
Let the Holy Spirit take the lead
God desires that His love, His Word, His beloved Son Jesus be given all the space in our lives. So, don’t get distracted, don’t give the ‘enemy’ an inch, and don’t let precious time be lost on things that ultimately won’t give you true satisfaction. You’ll only find the deepest peace in your heart when you take the time to listen to the Lord, by reading His Word, by letting His Holy Spirit take the lead in your life. And believe me, that’s anything but boring or dusty! It’s actually a life full of challenges and offers a completely refreshing perspective.
Do you think you’re ready to take that step and experience that deeper peace?
Watch the video on this topic here.
@wimvanputten