A convenient season

Acts 24:25

And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

This is one of the saddest verses in the Bible, one of those which ominously speaks of the doom of a person who was on the cusp of a conversion, but put off the decision. You see, Paul had been brought before Felix the governor after having been accused and threatened of the Jews at Jerusalem. The governor hears him, and is not inclined to punish him or place him in bonds of his own will, but by the coaxing of the Jews he is willing to imprison Paul. Felix hears the accusers and listens to Paul’s speech. Now Felix, having more perfect knowledge of that way, was interested in hearing more from Paul’s mouth. He does keep him with a centurion, but allows his friends and acquaintances to see him, minister to him, etc. Felix comes with his wife at a later time, and calls for Paul, desiring to hear of the faith in Christ.

Now as Paul and Felix begin to speak with one another on the grand themes of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled. He begins to think of the impact of such subjects! He begins to think of his own lack of righteousness! His own disabled temperance! The future judgment that he would face! All these things overtook his mind, and he began to tremble. Now, at this time, he could have made one of many decisions. He could have enquired more perfectly, or asked Paul to explain more of these things. He could have taken care of the matter that day by putting his own faith in Christ. But this is not what he did. He did that which is the most normal and inveterate way of responding to difficult or tenuous circumstances. He responded by doing nothing. He put it off. He procrastinated. “When I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” Did he ever call for him? Was there ever a “convenient season.” We find no record in Scripture that there ever was such a time. He never called for him again. He died or was removed from office and another man assumed his position. He left Paul bound for more than two years to make the Jews happy. You see, the convenient time never came.

Now, dear friends, we must consider this principle in its application to our lives. For you see, are we not apt to make this same mistake? Are we not prone to procrastination? Do we not tend to wait for “a convenient season?” But have we not found that the time is never convenient again? Have we not found that the day in which we resolved to do the right thing never came? May God deliver us this day from procrastination. Do the right thing now! Perform your duty today! Do not put it off! Do not wait for a convenient time! For, my friend, that convenient time will most surely never arrive. You will forget! You will become distracted and encumbered with other things, and your mind will never return. Oh, my beloved, if God is speaking to you; if you are trembling at the voice of God, do not wait for another time, do not tarry, but submit to Him today. Obey the Lord now! Because today is a convenient time!

“Father, by Thy grace, help us this day to do what Thou hast called us to do. Let us not procrastinate or put off our God-given duties. May we choose to obey Thee today. We have waited too long. We have tarried for too many years. We have wasted precious time and valuable gifts. We come to Thee to submit to Thy will today. Give us, Lord, the strength to obey. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.”