Good Intentions

I think most people have good intentions many times, but good intentions are not enough.  Good intentions are only meaningless thoughts that produce nothing unless acted on.  Good intentions when acted on will produce many good quality works and fruitful actions and accomplishments.  Just having good intentions will bear nothing except maybe daydreams and unaccomplished ideas, but if you put them into practice, they could possibly change your life or someone else’s life or even many people’s lives, it may even change the course of history.  

Think about the thousands of people that make New Year’s resolutions; many are going to diet, many will start an exercise program, others may try to change their habits, buckling down and studying harder in school or at work, some may commit to studying the Bible and praying more and other religious activities such as spending more time in ministries.  There are so many different possibilities and projects that people have good intentions about, but before long they are back to their normal selves, forsaking their good intentions and many end up harming themselves or others because of their un-willingness to follow through with what they started.  

How many people have heard this and how many are guilty of not practicing it; “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today?”  I think most of us are guilty of this a times.  Good intentions, procrastinating and putting things off are linked together and they can be very dangerous at times depending on what they are.  Jesus told some parables in Matthew regarding this and I want to use one of them today.

This parable is found it Matthew 25:1-13, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

I think all of these bridesmaids had good intentions, they all had lamps and they all were waiting for the bridegroom to come plus they all were virgins, which must have been very important or Jesus wouldn’t have told the story that way.  When the time came to meet the bridegroom they all got up and trimmed their lamps, but only five were prepared and ready to meet the bridegroom.  They had put their good intentions into practice by preparing themselves, not so with the other five, they may have had good intentions but that wasn’t enough, they lacked preparation and were not ready when they needed to be.

What about you?  Do you only have good intentions, knowing that you should get right with the Lord but putting it off for what you think may be a better time?  The Bible says this in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’”

Don’t put it off; there is no better time than right now, you don’t know what another day may bring, or if you will even see another day.  One thing you do not want to do is leave this earth without accepting the Lord’s invitation to His wedding feast that will take place someday.  If your seat is empty on that glorious day, it will be no one’s fault but your own.  Make today the first day of your life by humbling yourself, asking the Lord to be the Lord and Savior of your life and to forgive you of your sins and fill you with His peace, love and joy and His precious Holy Spirit, then don’t be in a hurry, stay there until you pray through and the Lord’s peace, love and joy floods your soul!  

I have given you something very important to think about, so please don’t put it off.  God bless you and yours and have a super day!!  PS don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord!!