On Assignment?

So have you ever walked into a class of any kind and as you sit down and get ready for class, the teacher asks everyone to take out and pass in their previously assigned report or project? At that moment you realize you did not do it, and your mind starts to race with possible excuses the teacher might believe…know the feeling? Total shock, followed by total panic, and then the procession of excuses…to which the teacher either looks at you with disgust or ignores you all together…AAAAAAAAAAHH!!! So you’ve been there…

Scariest place on earth at that moment, that’s all I can say. Your hopes for freedom from being grounded, extra rules, less chores for the weekend, evaporating before your eyes…you are busted. NOW WHAT? You scramble for ways to keep your parents from finding out…but you know they will at some point. If I had spent one tenth the time doing the project as I did trying to figure out how not to get busted for not doing it...anyway.

Just to confess, I did spend considerable time trying to “make-up” missing assignments and hence a low grade. What a waste, huh? I tell my kids this all the time…and guess what? They have missing assignments. Why is this? Why is this habit so hard to break? It is our nature, that’s why.

We all think we can do whatever we want to do, and have the time to make up for it, correct it, seek forgiveness, and then get it right. I know it is how I lived for most of my life. And as we celebrate Thanksgiving this year we have a tendency to celebrate how much we have…because for a lot of folks our blessings are equal to our belongings.

Belongings will always go back to where they belong…here. Unfortunately, one day we will be here no more, just a fact, and what you have will no longer matter. We are blessed because we have a God who loves us beyond measure and gave us a Savior so that having Him is all we need to get to where we finally have all we ever needed.

God has given us all an assignment, and with no definite “real” due-date…just finish in your lifetime. This kind of assignment just happens to be our favorite kind. This is the kind of assignment we feel we can put off, that we will just get to it one day, so we don’t really have to worry about it now. And herein lays the problem. If we have all the time in the world to accomplish it, why hurry? Why is there any urgency at all? Actually, because we may not have as much time as we think. Tomorrow is not a promise, and when you die the assignment is due:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV)

It is a healthy reminder to us all that as believers we all are on assignment – an assignment from God for His purposes and His Kingdom. This assignment comes from and includes the greatest gift ever – a Savior. Accept it and make this Thanksgiving about WHOM you are most thankful for… So what are you gonna turn in when your name is called? Will you have your assignment done, or will you be panicking to figure out the best excuse to use? Just get it done now, accept your assignment and do it…your Kingdom Assignment.

Just sayin…

In His Grip,

Pastor Pat