¿Hablas español? Even if you said, “what” or “nope” to that question, I’ll bet you speak more Spanish than you realize. How about, adios, grande and salsa to name a few? One of the first words I learned in Spanish was “mañana” which means “tomorrow.” I first heard it as a child in this little song: “Oh, the window she is broken and the rain is pouring in, and if I do not fix it, it will soak me to my skin. But if I wait ‘till “mañana”, the rain may go away, and who would fix a window on such a sunny day? Mañana, mañana, mañana is good enough for me.”
It’s easy to put off until tomorrow what should be done today. I do it all the time. The button that needs to be sewn is fastened instead with a safety pin. The “change oil” light goes ignored for weeks, renewal notices for favorite magazines are placed aside for “later” and thank you notes go unwritten for far too long.
It’s equally easy to downplay warnings, become complacent about them, find them annoying and even ignore them. Have you ever silenced an overly sensitive smoke detector by removing the batteries? One of the worst warnings I tend to find annoying is the “ping-ping-ping” of a seat belt alarm as I check my cell phone before hitting the highway. More than once a “Click It – Or Ticket” billboard has reminded me my seatbelt was un-fastened!
Many of the roads I travel in South Carolina sport signs declaring themselves “Evacuation Routes.” I pretty much ignore those signs most of the year but, as summer ends and hurricane season begins, their presence takes on greater meaning. They serve as both a route of escape and reminder to seriously be prepared for stormy weather.
I can still see in my mind’s eye the sad “mañana” it was for the folks in Florida whose lackadaisical attitude toward hurricane Katrina reaped devastating consequences. I can only imagine the deep regret many felt for not heeding the warnings and taking action before it was too late.
In many ways, the Bible parable of the wise and foolish builders is like an “Evacuation Route” sign. In the story, Jesus warns His listeners to take seriously their need for a Savior to withstand both the “storms” of this life and gain life eternal. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27.
You may not be threatened by a hurricane at the moment, but none of us are promised mañana and actually, who knows what the rest of today will bring? Your reading this devotion could be the last chance you have to heed God’s warnings and change your relationship with Him.
Begin now to build a firm foundation of faith that will enable you to bounce-back and not fall “with a great crash” when the storms of life come – not if they come. More importantly, ready yourself for the day when, not if, death comes and you enter into the presence of the LORD who will determine whether He knows you or not and if you will spend eternity with, or without him. Matthew 7:21-23
Seriously, ready yourself and quit living like mañana may never come!
