When God Calls an "Immediately"

Immediately is a word we did not want to hear during my camp days.The only time immediately was used is if a child was missing.Particularly missing from the swim lake. If a child was missing, the call went out over the loud speaker across the camp ...

Sally Saunders, 23, report to the lake immediately.

At that moment, every single person stopped what they were doing and began to search for Sally.

Are you Sally Saunders?  Are you Sally Saunders?

Counselors raced from cabin to cabin.

Sally Saunders!  Sally Saunders!

In the swim lake, the aquatics staff, with regulated precision, scoured the bottom of the lake. And every five seconds, over the loud speaker ...

Sally Saunders, 23, report to the lake immediately.

 Sometimes God calls an immediately in our lives.  Do you know what I mean? Through a circumstance, through a friend, through a crisis, he tells us to stop everything and deal with it.For Nebuchadnezzar, he used a dream. And he used Daniel. But for 12 months, Nebuchadnezzar didn't stop. He didn't listen to the immediately. He persisted in his pride until he surpassed God's patience.And I'm wondering if God is calling an immediately in your life? Is he calling sin to your attention that you need to deal with? A predator that has become your pet?  Selfishness disguised as self-care? Lack of forgiveness that is turning to bitterness? Is he revealing pride in your life? God was patient with Nebuchadnezzar.  He gave him twelve months to deal with his pride. And I'm guessing he's been patient with you too.  He has with me. But maybe today is the day to respond to the immediately.

"Break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.” Daniel 4:27