Ok, it’s a redneck term, but it has evolved into a friendly Southern expression. Now, whether you say, “get ‘er done”, “just do it”, “go for it”, “what are you waiting for”, all these phrases typically mean to prod someone to complete a task. I imagine every reader has something they need to get done. My wife tells me I’ll have to live another 100 years to finish all the projects I’ve started at our house. The things we need to get done can range from physical, emotional, spiritual, ideas, helping someone, prayer, etc. This begs the question, “What’s stopping you from getting them done?” The focus of this SW is on the spiritual aspect and some of the why’s we don’t get them done.
Out of all the reasons we don’t get things done, we could categorize most of them under the heading—Excuses. Excuses have been around since the beginning. Jesus dealt with people making excuses. He told the parable of a man giving a great banquet. When the preparations were complete, he sent out a servant to tell everyone invited that the banquet was ready. But they all alike began to make excuses (Luk 14:18). One man was too busy with his land development business; a second was busy with his work testing new yokes of oxen; and the last man was only interested in his new wife (Luk 14:15-20). The parable is ultimately referring to the invitation to receive Christ, but you can apply it to everything God wants us to do as believers. I delayed my commitment to Christ for many years with excuses like: I need to experience life first; I’ll wait until I find a good wife; I need to have a good job—Bla , Bla , Bla . . . ad infinitum. In other words, Satan will provide us with endless excuses.
The temptation to make excuses doesn’t stop after our salvation. Receiving Christ is about more than getting your name written in the Book of Life and finding a pew where you can sit. I struggled for a year with God’s calling on my life. “Oh, it is just me thinking this.” “Who am I? I’m just an uneducated country nobody.” “I’m not qualified.” “I’ll have to quit my good job and sell our new house.” My excuses were the same ones God had heard all through scripture. Moses argued with God, who am I? But God continued, so Moses reminded Him about his inability to speak well. Jeremiah must have read Exodus before the Lord told him, I have appointed you a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah replied, “Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth” (Jer 1: 5, 6). He must have forgotten God also refused to accept Moses’ excuse. When the angel of the Lord came and spoke to Gideon that he was to deliver Israel from the hand of Midian, Gideon made an excuse. “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house” (Jud 6:14). In other words, “I’m nobody without any social standing.”
A second reason Christian’s don’t get things done—procrastination. Twenty percent of people identify themselves as chronic procrastinators. We can sum up procrastination in this statement, “I plan on doing that tomorrow.” Someone said procrastination is the grave where opportunities are buried. Two men requested to follow Jesus and He replied, follow me. I wonder if this thought came to their mind, “Oh! You mean now, this very minute? Today? But . . .” Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father (Lk 9:59). Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home” (v61). When someone presents the Gospel and conviction seizes the heart of a hearer often they want to procrastinate. Felix serves as a vivid example. As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you” (Act 24:25 NIV). The sad part of this account is there is no record of him ever finding a convenient time or sending for Paul. In Paul’s letter to the Church at Corinth he warned, I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation (2 Corin 6:2 NIV).
Many reasons exist for not getting it done, but we must examine one more major cause because it is so common. “If I only had ___?___.” If I only had the money, the education, the time, the ability, the personality, etc. The Message Bible says it best. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”(1 Cor 1 27, 28 MSG)? Add to that, He supplies all our needs, the Holy Spirit gives us gifts to do His work, He produces the Fruit of the Spirit, He teaches us, and He guides us. You have no excuse.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Just get ‘er done. Just do it. Go for it. What are you waiting for?