In a Minute

Bible Reading: Psalm 119:57-64

“I’ll do it in a minute,” Damon said when his dad told him to take out the trash. When Mom reminded him to clean his room, Damon answered, “Okay. In a minute.” When told to mow the lawn, he replied, “Just a minute—I’m busy right now.” But the minute usually stretched to many more, and often Damon had to be reminded several times before the work was done.

After dinner one evening, Damon asked his dad to play basketball with him. “Sure, Damon,” Dad said. “Just a minute.”

Damon went out and shot a few baskets while he waited. Finally, he went to find Dad. “When are you coming out?” he asked.

Dad looked up from his computer. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Damon waited a while longer, then he went in and asked again…and again. Each time he got the same answer. Finally, he’d had enough. “You’ve said that four times now, Dad. It’s been thirty minutes already!”

Mom looked up from the book she was reading. “Isn’t it interesting how we don’t mind keeping others waiting, but we hate to wait ourselves?”

“What do you mean?” Damon asked.

“You often tell Dad and me you’ll do something ‘in a minute,’ but then you don’t do it quickly at all,” Mom replied.

Dad nodded. “I decided to give you a little dose of your own medicine today.” He closed his laptop. “There’s a good lesson here for all of us. As I kept telling you I’d be with you ‘in a minute,’ I realized it’s easy to ask God to wait too. For example, I sometimes figure I’ll do something He wants me to do ‘in a minute’ and then never get around to it.”

“I’m glad God doesn’t do that kind of thing,” said Mom. “Wouldn’t it be terrible if we needed Him and He said, ‘Just a minute—I’m busy right now’? But Jesus is always with us and listens when we pray. And when we sense Him telling us to do something, we should respond without delay.”

“Yes, whether that means obeying your parents right away or doing something you said you would,” Dad said, getting up. “Speaking of which—get the basketball. Let’s not wait any more minutes to play that game!” – Barbara Westberg

How About You?

Do you often put things off for “just a minute”—or do you obey the first time you’re told to do something? It’s natural to want to do things at your own convenience, but Jesus wants you to obey right away. Don’t put off doing the things you know He wants you to do—like obeying your parents. Obey them—and Him—without delay.

Today’s Key Verse: Psalm 119:60 I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands. (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Obey without delay