There’s an old saying:
“he who hesitates is lost.” It’s not
a biblical proverb but it almost could be!
The saying has many meanings including:
- Acting
swiftly and decisively can lead to success.
- Those who fail
to take quick action may miss a good
opportunity.
- To
delay or vacillate may have unfortunate or disastrous consequences.
For our consideration, the word “hesitate”, from a Biblical
perspective, is also translated as:
- Delay
- Taking
too much time
- Did
not move fast enough
- Just
stood there
In one particular Biblical
account, to say “he who hesitates is lost” is a major understatement:
With the
coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying,
“Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be
swept away when the city is punished.” When
Lot hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and
the hands of his wife and two daughters because the Lord
had compassion on them. They led them away and placed them outside the
city. (Gen 19:15-16)
For Lot, hesitation would
have been disastrous. If he had
hesitated too long, the outcome would have been death. But God had compassion for Lot
and He used His angels to rescue him.
And while it is unlikely that any of us will face the same life
and death situation that Lot did, hesitations or
delays can still impact our lives.
That’s why I appreciate and am challenged by how the
Psalmist worded his desire to not hesitate or delay:
“I keep your commands eagerly and
without delay.” (Ps 119:60)
May we be eager to obey without delay!
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