The Danger of Waiting | Crossroads Daily

Hey friends, welcome back. We are going to be covering Luke 13 today with you. And I am Kirsten Eklund. I'm Chris. And I'm Debo. And let's get into it. So Luke 13, the big idea here is we do not have forever. Like now is the time to repent. There is kind of an urgency that a lot of us, I don't know if we choose not to live in or we kind of ignore it, but there is a sense of urgency in our world. And so I'll start with this. If you had one week to live, one week only, not a minute more, how are you spending it? I mean, I think I'd be spending it with the people I love. I don't even know if I would need to go anywhere or do anything. But if I knew like I had literally only a week left, I'd be like, I'm spending it with my loved ones, like my friends, my family. I'm like, every minute, I'm not sleeping, you know? No sleep. No sleep. That's a bold choice for one week left. But I love that for you. What's your energy drink keeping you alive for the week? Coffee. It's not even an energy drink. No, no, no.

Shots of vanilla, make it sweet. That's like what I need to stay awake. Not a Celsius person. Not a Celsius person. Hold on, aren't you known for like never drinking all of your coffee? I am, I am known for that. There's actually an Instagram page. I'm embarrassed about it. Someone else managed it, it's not me. But I never finish my coffees. Not a microwave person. Yeah. All right. Don't wanna heat it up later. No, I love that. So confused. Well, you're way more selfless than me. Because I was like, dang, I'm packing up my babies and I'm spending all my money traveling. I don't know, somewhere I never would have. Maybe I'd take like my mom and some other people, but I feel like there's just opportunity to, you know, go see what God made. Yeah. That was just my gut reaction. It's probably not actually what I do. There's no wrong answer. I feel like there's the idealistic way that I would choose to answer that question,

which is like, I was on a plane last week and I, you know, have the morbid thought of like, if this is going down, what's my first move? And I'm like, okay, I guess I'm getting up and telling everyone I can about Jesus. Like, this is how we would do it. But then it's like, well, why wouldn't I do that in every part of my life? Like, why is it like, oh, I'm just, you know, there's, I'll pick the opportunities. I gotta have my boundaries. And so, yeah, I feel like it's easy to be super idealistic in a question like that for me. Yeah, I think, because we think that time is like limitless. Like, you know, I think we always think there's gonna be a tomorrow. So like, oh, you know, I don't have everything figured out right now, or I'm not gonna be bold like in this moment, but like, I'll get there. Like, you just think there's time. And I think reading this passage is just a reminder that there's like, not even tomorrow is promised, which is, yeah, it's a daunting thought. Right, I love that. So both of you said that you would change your behavior, how you're spending your time, all of that stuff. Where are you personally putting off change right now that you're just saying like, oh, I can deal with that later. Like, I'll deal with that next year, tomorrow, tonight.

I would say every time I move a season of my life, what gets compromised is my individual time with the Lord in some way, shape, or form. So whether it's like going to college, leaving college, getting a full-time job, getting married, having a kid, it's like, okay, well, things are crazy right now. When they settle down, then I will get back into like, here's what my morning quiet time looks like, and here's where I'm journaling. And then another thing in life changes, and then I never find that consistent rhythm because I'm always just adapting. I'm not adapting with Jesus, I'm adapting to like, well, what's more comfortable for me in this moment? And yeah, and I could have all the warning signs in the world or something. Like, I remember a few years back, I was driving on the highway going to work, and I was texting and driving like 90% of us are all doing. And I heard a honk behind me a couple of cars back, and it was a police car. And I was like, oh sure, they're talking to someone else. And I keep scrolling on my phone or something, and then the lights go on and they pull me over, and he's like, brother, I gave you a chance. He's like, I was trying to warn you, now I gotta give you a ticket. And I feel like that is so consistent of like, God is pushing these little things like, hey, like you're missing out on me.

Other people are missing out on like, the ways you could love them. And I'm like, he's talking to someone else. Like, I'm good. And ultimately, maybe who's missing out most is me knowing Jesus more in some way, and then other people are missing out. And yeah, but like, he's just, I feel like consistently, nudging me with these things. I'm like, oh, well, that's for someone else, maybe not me. Yeah, that's good. So good. How about you, Deepa? Yeah, I think for me, it's in the area of being bold in my faith. Like, I think there's been times where God has prompted me to like pray for somebody that I don't know, like a stranger, or speak up about my faith, and I'll let those moments pass because of fear. And I'm like, I'll get there. Like, I'll like grow that boldness, you know, over time. And I know that if I step into that, like, it'll only deepen my own relationship with the Lord. Like, it'll only help me like hear his voice more and more and more in my own personal life. So like, but I think I let fear or, you know, like my own self get in the way. And so that's like the first thought I had.

It was like, I feel like the Lord's like, just do it now. Right. Don't wait, like don't wait until you feel like you can, just do it now. Right. Yeah. What about you? So good. I'm such a hypocrite. Because I'm sitting here thinking like, yeah, this is all the things that I say to other people. So I am an evangelist heart. I love just those random conversations. I'm like, oh, like, have you heard of Jesus? Or it's just like at a diner and you're like, you should, my waitress, like, you should come to Crossroads. I would love to see you come to my church. Um, but, and I work with college students right now that I am like drilling in their head. Like you will never, ever, ever be in a place again, where you are surrounded by tens of thousands of people who do not know Jesus within a square mile radius. And what are you doing with that opportunity? Because I don't see you using it. Um, so much easier said, than I go back in my little church bubble, like Christian bubble, where all my friends like are following Jesus, going to church.

And I'm like, wow, like how holy art thou that I am doing this? And I think that's what I would change. I would have a hard talk with myself. That's what I'm going to do is, um, similar to you Debo, like, how am I being both? There's so much scripture that is about just being bold in your faith. It's so clear that that is a, um, like a character of God that he asked of us. And I want to live out the advice that I'm giving. I want to step into every restaurant, just not sometimes when I'm feeling like a vibe with my waitress, you know, but like every time, like getting the check and being like, hey, have you heard of like Crossroads, my church? Like, I would love to see you there sometime. Like, just let me know, here's my number. Like, I think we also get very fearful of just like giving people access to us. Like I very much so, I'm protective over my home, over access to my kids and my family and my marriage. I see it all as like a sacrifice, which maybe it is, but man, that's all Jesus did was give access to himself. So one, being bolder and sharing the gospel in every situation with anyone that I just am not sure where they're at in their faith. And also just access to me as a believer and access to my family, which I know reflects Jesus, or at least we try our best.

So that's what I'm thinking. Yeah, it's hitting me still what you said of like, okay, so if you realize you had a week to live, you both said you would change something. And like, that's, I feel like, oh, it's like, dang, I would change it if I knew. It's like, that means there's things I'm doing, not doing right now that I should be doing. And, but the reality is like, life is already short. Like we always talk, it's like, you know, life is short. And I feel like I can blame the thought of like, well, you know, I still got till I'm 90. So like, it's fine. I got time to change these things, but it's like, okay, well, I think even if it was, we lived to a thousand, I still wouldn't be doing these things. So it's a deeper issue of like, it's not the time. It's not that I think I have so much time. It's like, I'm really just scared. Like you said, Debo, I am comfortable. I don't want to do something different because doing something different is just harder than doing the same thing. And so I feel like it's, I can make the excuse of like, well, I got time. It's like, well, I don't really care about how much time. I care that I'm comfortable. Right. Yeah. And then time's not promised.

So we talked about how the things that are keeping us from making those changes are fear, are, oh, we think we have all this time when actually we don't. Repentance is a huge part of what Jesus is talking about in this scripture. What do you think keeps people, keeps you guys from repenting? Whether daily, I don't know. Like, what do you guys think about that? Yeah, I think it's I think for me when I look back on my life in the moments that I've haven't repented it's just like been pride like I just allow my own like I don't know my own thoughts of just like I'm okay or just I almost like convince myself like I don't need to um and I think that's like really pride um yeah I think that's been a huge thing for me I think it's like it's a humility to be like all right I'm gonna admit that I've been wrong I've done wrong right and it takes like this like yeah humility that's hard to admit yeah I feel like the farther away we get from like the big sin you know of like I don't know sex out of marriage and getting drunk or whatever the things that truly we all just decided as a culture is worse than the other things even though Jesus says like all sin is equal and sin is just something that separates you from him and um I the farther I get away from those which I have those I have repented of those from before I was following Jesus and didn't have that conviction but the farther away I get I'm like the gossip I just had with the girls over wine and butter cake last night has that's not what I need to repent of or like oh the hours and hours I spent isolating myself scroll doom scrolling instead of you know touching base with the Lord that that's fine like that that was nothing bad even though my mind wandered into different places that I probably shouldn't have been um and I think that's like my trap yeah and I'm like oh that's not big enough that's not big enough sin yeah like what a lie and I think that's exactly what Jesus is saying with this narrow road it's like right what a trap yeah I can view it as just I will hold back from prancing because I'm like I'm just tired of it like it's like every second I could be confessing or repenting about something and I'm

like this is exhausting like it's the it feels like the offensive part of the gospel is that I have to admit it's not like I was just really messed up and then God saved me and now I I got it all together like I'm perfect it's like every day I'm I'm just as messed up and when in reality that should be freeing to know like I get to repent and confess and have a God that looks at me the same but more often than not I'm just like weary and tired of like man this is I'm not am I getting better like am I improving at all or is it just like a cycle of this so yeah it's kind of funny how we've kind of come full circle like repentance should be the driving factor to us living differently and with that sense of urgency yeah like when we recognize what we need to repent of which is daily like you said but the grace that we have received from Jesus that we have been forgiven that should be the greatest freaking news of our lives that we cannot help but just be like I'm going to look different today yeah yeah it changes the way that we live life yes with urgency yes like it's a cycle yeah it's a cycle I love that uh last question here Jesus says some people will be shut out after thinking they were in so Jesus is like around these people that are like oh I've already I'm in I'm going to heaven like I I know this already what gives people what gives us a sense of false confidence spiritually as someone who grew up going to church every Sunday vacation bible school youth group it is easy to just you do give vibes sorry I don't know how I feel about that in the best way like in the best way sorry it was a compliment that was an unhelpful I'm gonna think about that one later yeah it's easy just to think well being around all this stuff means I'm in the club right and I'm good and I think there was a part of that chapter and Luke 13 where they say like well didn't we break bread with you Lord and like we heard you teach in the streets and like for me it's like well didn't I went to church growing up every Sunday and I was in this bible study and I was in this youth group at high school and I was at all these things that I'm like really is just me participating in something if it is not me being in it to know God more deeply and to have my life be changed daily by that but I just it's like yeah I'm just because the reality is you guys don't know my heart's like I could be faking all this for all you guys know like I could just be doing all the stuff yeah people are really Good at making it. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, it seems like I think we can get to that place when we focus more on like you were saying, like the outward actions of things, like and we're less concerned about like our hearts. I think that's when we get in that territory where we're like, oh, we're good, I'm good. Like on paper, I'm doing all the right things. Like, you know. Yes. When we actually don't know the condition of our own heart. And I've been there, like I've done that. I've gone through the motions as someone who's also gone to church, like most of my life. Like there's been seasons where I've gone through the motions and I've thought, okay, I'm good. Like when looking back now, I'm like, I'm so thankful for his grace because in his kindness that's led me to repentance of those seasons. Cause I wasn't, I wasn't good. Like in my heart and in my own personal relationship with the Lord, I feel like going through the motions wasn't enough. Yeah. That's really good. I think I do have the benefit of not going to church my whole life and living a totally different life and having it flipped upside down by Jesus in college that I get to look back on and be like, oh, I could have easily and still could easily not be in. Yeah, I'm with you.

And it's, I think so much of that is we're just trying to figure out like, what is the formula of like, I say this prayer, I go to these things and then that's it. And I think the most difficult part of believing all of it is that like, it's not because of something we did. And we wanted to, I want it to be something I did. Like God's like, great, you did this. So there there's your stamp and now you're in. And the difficult part about it is wrestling with the fact that he did it and my trust in that somehow grants me access to be with him forever. And, but I'm like, wait, but no, okay. But like, just to be safe, let's like do a bunch of stuff so that like, if we get there, I'm covered on the works end and on the trust end and, but believing that he's like, no, he did it, I'm covered and walking in that belief every day and being obedient and loving because you love me. It's like, that's figuring it out. But we try to figure it out in a bunch of different ways. Yeah, it's good. All right, that's it. Have a good one. I'll see you in the next one. Bye.