Luther on Action

Genesis 24:54-56
When they got up in the morning, Eleazar said, "let me go back to my master. Don't delay me now that the Lord has made my trip successful. Let me return to my master."

Martin Luther writes, "this scripture passage provides a good example for us. Isaac's servant was eager to take his master's future bride to her groom. We are reminded here that when it comes to doing the work of God, we should not stall or procrastinate. We should clear away every obstacle that keeps us from completing the tasks we have been sent to do. Even non-Christian writers say that after adequately thinking something over, people should follow through without delay. Saluset, a Roman statesman and historian, gave this advice: "think it over, then act quickly. Saint Bonaventure also made an excellent statement about this subject when he wrote, "those who pass up great opportunities, will themselves be passed over." But worse than all of this is when people postpone doing what God demands. Procrastination only creates harm. a person who does not answer when the Holy Spirit has called, misses a chance to be involved in God's solutions to the world's problems!"
We certainly live in a day and age where problems seem to be intractable. And yet we are ever so willing to place our trust in politicians, economic investments, the advice of friends, or in anecdotes that we read on Facebook without ever placing our trust in God! But God does not call us to ponder, he calls us to act! Standing alone we may not be able to overcome the great problems of life surrounding us, but we can resolve the plethora of problems that lie at our fingertips and at our feet we look over while pondering those great problems! Look, a kind word is spoken, a cup of water or crust the bread shared, a smile, an invitation, all go further in healing the woes of this world than miracles that part the waters! We need to quit procrastinating doing what we know we can do because we are overwhelmed by what we cannot do. Trust God to do God's work, because God is trusting us to do our work!!