Good Advice!

James Smith, 1859

Two friends were talking the other day, when one of them quoted a proverb, which I think may be turned to good account; he said, "Never put off until tomorrow — what can be done today." This is good advice, whether we apply it to things temporal — or to things spiritual. But as the latter are of the greatest importance, let us apply it to them.

We are exhorted, in God's Word, to "seek the Lord, while he may he found." This implies that there may come a time, in which the Lord will not be found of us, or listen to us. As it is therefore of the greatest importance that we should find the Lord, be reconciled to him, and obtain the pardon of our sins from him — then there is no time for this work like the present time. Today the Lord invites us to his throne of grace — today he promises to receive us graciously — today we may seek the Lord with a sure hope of finding him — then "do not let us put off until tomorrow — what we can do today," especially as it is said in God's own word, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." If this is the day of salvation, and I really desire to be saved — then surely if I am wise. If I am at all in my right senses — I shall seek the salvation of my soul today.

Again, when the Savior preached on earth himself, he said to the Jews, "Repent, and believe the gospel." The gospel is the good news of pardon, peace, and acceptance with God, for every penitent sinner. To repent, is to think of one's conduct, and of the state of one's heart toward God; to be sorry for one's sins, confessing them before God; and then seeking the pardon of them, with a hearty determination to forsake them.

We ought to be sorry for our sins, and to be sorry for them today; we ought to believe the gospel, and believe it today; we have now a fine opportunity to do so, and we shall have no excuse if we put it off; "let us not then put off until tomorrow — what can be done today."

Repentance will be more difficult tomorrow, than it is today; there will be more impediments in the way of our believing the gospel tomorrow, than there are today; therefore, again we say, "let us not put off until tomorrow — what we can do today." Tomorrow, we may be frantic with fever — tomorrow, we may be stupefied by a stroke — tomorrow, we may be cold in death — tomorrow, we may be lifting up our eyes in Hell, being in torments. Tomorrow! Who can tell what may be on the morrow? Tomorrow! Who can be sure that he will have an opportunity to seek the Lord, to repent and believe the gospel, tomorrow?

Let us therefore, if we have one grain of sense left, if we are not past feeling, if we are not hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, let us listen to the good old proverb, and "never put off until tomorrow — what can be done today."