When is it convenient?

I wanted to share something from my devotion this morning. I was reading from Acts 24, when Paul is on trial before Felix. After the trial, Felix promises to decide his case when Lysias comes (the commander in that region). In the meantime, he sends for Paul and listens to him often. At least for a while. When he gets convicted, he tells Paul, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” (v. 25b)

Felix was dealing with Paul on his own terms. Of course Felix was the governor at that time, so maybe he had a right to do so. But in a way, by dealing with Paul this way, he was also dealing with God this way. Since Paul was preaching to him about “righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come,” Felix’s dismissal of Paul was really a dismissal of God. He essentially told God, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

What really convicted me is the thought that there are times when I say that to God. Oh not consciously, but in reflecting on this passage, I have to admit that there are times (to many times) that I deal with God on my own terms, instead of allowing Him to deal with me on His terms. I do my devotions and prayer each morning, but then spend a considerable time doing the work of the church, which is not always the work of God.

Are there times when we let God go for now, only to call on Him again when it is convenient for us? When we truly give ourselves to Him, and He becomes our Master, we should be always in tune with Him. But sadly, I suspect that there are times when we do our own will, rather than the will of Him who called us to “follow me.”

Examine your own life, and see if there might be times when you might say to God, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

Send for Him again now. And don’t let him leave again!