The Tragedy of Delay

The finest attractions of this world become deadly when we become overly attached to them.

A well-known author once told this story of an account he had with sea gulls: “Several years ago our family visited Niagara Falls. It was spring, and ice was rushing down the river. As I viewed the large blocks of ice flowing toward the falls, I could see that there were dead fish embedded in the ice. Gulls by the score were riding down the river feeding on the fish. As they came to the brink of the falls, their wings would go out, and they would escape from the falls.

“I watched one gull which seemed to delay and wondered when it would leave. It was engrossed in the fish, and when it finally came to the brink of the falls, out went its powerful wings. The bird flapped and flapped and even lifted the ice out of the water, and I thought it would escape. But it had delayed too long so that its claws had frozen into the ice. The weight of the ice was too great, and the gull plunged into the abyss.”

How sad that even though the bird had plenty of time to fly away, because it delayed it paid the price. Now think of this story in terms of the Christian life. When we become overly enthralled with the things of this world, they can bring us down and cause our spiritual death.

The finest attractions of this world become deadly when we become overly attached to them. If we cannot give up the things of this world and focus on Christ, we cannot be used by Him. Our eyes must be upward on Christ rather than downward on this world.

Notice Hebrews 12:1, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” God commands us to lay aside the things that weigh us down. He knows that we will not be able to run the course He has given us with the distractions of this world.

Take a moment now to think of the “weights” in your life. The bird’s weight was the dead fish. What is it that weighs you down or keeps you from living for the Lord? What hinders you from fully surrendering to God’s will for your life? Someone once said, “Delayed obedience is disobedience.” Don’t allow that weight to cause you to fall. It’s not worth disobeying God in order to hold on to it.

Spend some time with God now and lay aside the weights in your life. Let God have full control of your life so you may be a better servant for Him.

Source: Daily in the Word, February 7, 2009