Guarding Against Procrastination

    Procrastination is the act of delaying some action.  The word comes from the Latin word procrastinus,  which takes the prefix pro meaning “forward” and the word crastinus  meaning  “of tomorrow”.   It has been described as delay or intentional delay.  Many of us procrastinate doing chores around the house, taking the car for an oil change, cutting the grass, doing your taxes, writing a report, studying for an exam, and many other things.

    Delay is mentioned in the Scriptures some 35 times.  Most of the Scriptures indicate a lack of delay or without delay. Examples of this are:

• Deuteronomy 23:21  “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the Lord your God will surely require it of you.
• Exodus 22:29  “You shall not delay to bring to Me from your fullness and the outflow; give Me the firstborn of your sons.
• Judges 18:9  “They said “Arise, and let us go up against them;  for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good.  And will you sit still?  Do not delay to go, to enter, to possess the land.
• Genesis 45:9  “Hurry and go up to my father and tell him, Your son Joseph says this to you: God has put me in charge of all Egypt.  Come down to me; do not delay.
• Acts 9:38-39  “Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him begging him, Do come to us without delay.  So Peter arose and accompanied them… 
• Psalms 119:60  “I made haste and delayed not to keep your commandments.

    The Scriptures call upon the Lord not to delay:

• Psalms 40:17   “Since I am afflicted and needy, Let the Lord be mindful of me.  You are my help and deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.
• Psalms 70:5  “But I am afflicted and needy; Hasten to me, O God!  You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay.
• Daniel 9:19  “O Lord, hear!  O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

    Some Scriptures are forward looking:

• Micah 5:7  “Then the remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples   Like dew from the Lord, Like showers on vegetation Which do not wait for man Or delay for the sons of men.
• Habakkuk 2:3  “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.  Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.
• Isaiah 46:13  “I will bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; And my salvation will not delay.  And I will grant salvation in Zion, And My glory for Israel.
• Hebrews 10:37  “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
• Revelation 10:6  “And swore in the name of Him Who lives forever and ever, Who created the heavens and all they contain, and the earth and all it contains, and the sea and all that it contains.  That no more time should intervene and there should be no more waiting or delay.”
• John 13:32  “And if God is glorified through and in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and He will glorify Him at once and not delay.

    Delay is something we have all experienced and have learned to deal with it.  Delay is not something seen in the Scriptures.  When dealing with God’s commandments there should be no hesitation or delay.

    Over my life I have seen children raised in the church, attending regularly, delay becoming Christians. As the grow into adulthood some tend to fall away.  They make excuses, their parents and friends don’t love them any less but wonder how they will explain their conduct when they stand before the Lord at Judgement?  The Scriptures ask this question:

Acts 22:16  “Now why do you delay?  Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins; calling in His name.

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