Extra time

I love soccer, so the World Cup has been something I've really looked forward to watching.  I'm cheering for the US of course but I've enjoyed catching every game that I can regardless of who is playing.  For those who perhaps aren't all too familiar with soccer, at the end of each half there are usually a few extra minutes added at the discretion of the referee.  This is called stoppage time and the ref adds it because during the flow of play he has to stop the action for a penalty or an injury, so he therefore adds whatever time he sees as necessary to make up for lost time.

Yesterday at the end of the US team's incredible win over Slovenia, the game was scoreless when it was announced that 4 more minutes were going to be added to the game.  Good thing for the US team, because in the 91st minutes we scored the winning goal to advance to the next round.  Without that extra game the US team would have been packing their bags for a long plane ride home.  A few extra minutes can mean everything.

None of us have any idea how long we have here on earth.  I imagine myself growing old with my wife as we chase grandkids all over the yard or travel to all those places we've only dreamed about, but in truth I have no guarantee for tomorrow.  Therefore, what I choose to do with today holds great importance.  Is there someone I know who needs the gospel?  Then why would I wait until a better time to share Jesus with him?  Is there a need I am aware of that I have the means to meet?  Then it wouldn't make sense for me to wait until it's a more convenient time for me to reach out in love. 

We can't rely on extra time to make vital moves for God.  Every extra second we have on earth is extra time.  Patience may be a virtue but there are times when the work of the kingdom just won't wait.