How many times have I missed my chance to call Simon Peter because I was not immediate?
Sometimes I am really slow. Sometimes, even though I know that I really need to do something, I put it off and put it off and put it off.
Sometimes, when I am most in need of completing a task, I procrastinate.
And I have been thinking about that procrastination over these last few days of Lent. You see, I procrastinate as much as the apostles were immediate…
“As He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. And going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.” (Matthew 4:18-22).
And I have been reflecting on that IMMEDIATE reaction of the apostles…
They did not hesitate. They did not stop and question HOW they would be fishers of men. They did not say, “Hold on a moment, I just need to tidy this up or finish this off.” No. They IMMEDIATELY went after Christ and Followed Him…
Andrew found Christ and was IMMEDIATE. He went to his brother and said, “We have found the Messiah (which interpreted means Christ). And he led him (Simon Peter) to Jesus” (John 1:41-42).
And I have been reflecting on that today, because there are many many times when I procrastinate. And now, as I consider the example of the apostles, I wonder how much damage my procrastination has done.
You see, when I have the feeling that there is something that I must do, I have a responsibility – a duty – to act on that impulse. It is imperative to me that I should do what needs to be done. If I do not action that what I am really doing is saying that I am unwilling or unable to follow the Holy Will of God. When things appear difficult to me, when I appear most lazy and unwilling to move forward, that is when I am most needed by my Beloved. Then I should be rolling up my sleeves and getting to work.
When I most feel like rolling over and going back to sleep – then I am being called most strongly to start my day. For I have come to realise that we are each of us set the task of meeting with Simon Peter. That is our job. And the Lord of the Universe has made it so. And I just have the stop and wonder today, at how many times I have missed my chance to call Simon Peter because I was not immediate… How many time, I wonder?
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.