March 2005
Is it ever "too late" to do right?
Ever since December, two years ago, I've been updating the "Melody writes" column here regularly every month.
While it's true I've been late a day or two on occasion - usually I've been on time even to the point of staying up the last night of the month just to meet my own deadline.
And then there was this month.
Somehow it just slipped away from me. The weird thing is that even in my busiest time at work, I still found time to update the site. Now, when things finally were settling down... it just wasn't happening.
And then it got to a point where I almost felt "Why bother"... it's already so far gone.. would it even make any difference if I didn't update the page? Couldn't I just wait until next month?
One word springs to mind: Procrastination.
I remember hearing a fable of three little devils trying to impress Satan. The first tells him that he'll tempt mankind to commit all sorts of sexual sins... The second that he'll tempt mankind into all sorts of different abuse. But the third one is the shrewdest. "I'll tell them to do all the good works they can. To go to church, to make that retreat, to go for confession, to tithe... but I'll tell them to do it tommorow..."
When we procrastinate with spiritual things, we often give into the lie that it's "too late" when we do eventually want to do right.
About two weeks ago I talked with a boy who hadn't been to church in two years. "How can I go to confession?" he asked me, "I wouldn't know where to begin"
The beginning is simple. All you have to do is make that first step back to the Lord.... and like the prodigal son's father, the Lord will run out of His way to meet us & feast with us.
So what if you haven't been confessing regularly? Is it too late to start now? Not at all! After all, confession was made for sinners - and we're ALL sinners.
So what if you haven't being paying tithes for many years... perhaps never? Can't you start now? Of course you can! Start with 10% of this month's salary (don't wait until next month!)
So what if you've missed on your prayer time for a long time? Won't it be difficult to get back now? Possibly, maybe. But you'll never get back if you don't take that first step.
So what if you've missed out on church or various other things you've meant to do... like Nike says, Just do it... and do it NOW.
Remember, it's NEVER TOO LATE to turn back to God. It's never too late to do the right thing.
No matter how great the distance between you & God seems, it's just a "I want back in" away from God.
Lent is almost over. Holy Week has begun. Perhaps by the time you read this, Easter will have come & gone.
Will it be too late then?
It's NEVER too late to do the right thing.
Wishing you a blessed Easter and a hearty reunion with the Lord,
March 2005
