Why Put Off Until Tomorrow, What You Can Do Today?

Why is it that we put everything off until tomorrow? When I was growing up, do you know when my parents favorite day was to start a diet? Tomorrow! (sometimes they said Monday, but when Monday came, they said, “Well today wasn’t good. Let’s really start Tomorrow.”) When do we start that new exercise program? Tomorrow. When do we start our spring cleaning? Tomorrow. When do we start working in the garden? Tomorrow?

Now if someone came in here right now and offered you an all expenses paid vacation to anywhere in the world, 7 days, no strings attached, but you have to leave as soon as this service is over, how many of you would go? This trip is great. Forget your old clothes at home. You’ll get new ones on the trip. And there is no strings attached. But you have to leave in just a few minutes, would you still go?

Now why do we go on the trip, but put off our needed diet, exercise program, cleaning, etc.? To be honest, one is tough work while the other is exciting. We would be driven and excited to go on the trip. That sounds like fun. Anywhere in the world trip. Hey let’s go. Unfortunately the trip is fictional, but the work isn’t.

In Exodus 8 we see someone who puts something off until tomorrow that should be taken care of today. His name is Pharaoh. God has chosen a man named Moses to go before the most powerful ruler of his day and tell him, “God says, Let my people go!” If you remember, Moses reminded God of his weakness of his speech (as if God had forgotten) and God told Moses to trust him to do the impossible. Moses just needed to obey.

Well Moses stands before Pharaoh (who thought he was a god) and said, “The one true God says Let my people GO!” Pharaoh laughed and refused so God turned the Nile into blood. Then Moses comes back for round 2 of an eventual 10 round KO. We find in Exodus 8:1-13 the account of this story.

God sends a swarm of frogs over all the land. Frogs in the pots, beds, showers, underfoot, everywhere. Talk about a frog leg lovers delight! But everyone else is going nuts. Finally v. 8 tells us that Pharaoh has had enough and he calls for Moses to call off the hoard. I love v. 9. Moses essentially asks Pharaoh, “So when do you want these pesky frogs gone? I mean if these critters are bothering you so bad, when do you want them out of here? God can do it now, or later.”

Do you notice what Pharaoh’s answer is in v. 10? Tomorrow! What in the world is he thinking? Personally I don’t want frogs in my bed. You think that’s your spouse in bed, and all of a sudden 50 frogs are jumping around under your covers! Yikes. Pharaoh, when you want these nasty creatures out of your life? Today right? Nah. Tomorrow! I don’t get it.

Pharaoh had somehow become comfortable and had learned to relax in the midst of filth. What used to bother him, now is only a mild hindrance, and eventually will become everyday life.

But we do the same thing don’t we! We put up with things that used to bother us. And today I want to talk with you about 2 areas that we put off until “Tomorrow” when it should be taken care of Today.

1. When do you want to get rid of the sin in your heart? Pharaoh knew there was a problem in the kingdom. FROGS EVERYWHERE! But somehow he had become comfortable with them to the point that he was willing to stay one more day with his old friends.

Have you ever gotten under conviction for your sin, maybe because of a sermon, a song, a bible reading, etc, and you know you should repent and give that sin up but you say, “Tomorrow I’ll do something about it?” You know sin can become like a trusty old pet. It’s always there when you need a pick me up. It never judges you. Maybe it’s an addiction like gambling, smoking, overeating, gossiping, etc. We know it’s wrong. We know we need to do something about it, BUT we can start worrying about that “Tomorrow” right?

Most people think that the Christian life is complete when they Love God. Isn’t that the great commandment? But Jesus said Love God with everything. That means the equation is Love God = Hate Sin. You see, you cannot really love God and love sin. We try to do it all the time, but it just doesn’t work.

When Jesus was in the garden praying the night he was arrested, he asked if there was any other way for sin to be atoned for let it come about. But there was no other way. If you think sin is not that serious, look at the cross of Christ! You cannot Love God and love sin. You can hate God and hate sin. But God is calling Christians to be real followers stop saying tomorrow about their sin.