Don't delay doing a good clear out

Dear friend

"Procrastination is the thief of time". It is a classic saying penned in 1742 by the English writer Edward Young from his epically long poem "Night Thoughts". As an acknowledged universal truth his saying has become as quotable as a biblical proverb. Putting off doing what we know we should seems to be a common human failing. We let time slip by while we don't enjoy full happiness from full compliance with what is right. We allow the evil one, with all his subtly, to convince us to let him have our precious time. He is the real thief, but we encourage him by not locking the door to our heart to keep him out.

Concern over delayed discipleship has been a message of the Prophets throughout mortality. Consider this verse from the Old Testament, Jeremiah 4:14.

14 O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

Here, Jerusalem represents all of us who have chosen to be resident in the "City of God", but who have not kept to our covenants of righteousness. We are to thoroughly wash out our hearts (figuratively, our houses) of all uncleanness. We need to evict the lodgers of laxity, lapsing and lusting after the satisfaction of appetites. This washing away of wickedness is necessary for salvation since we know God cannot dwell in unclean tabernacles, houses or hearts.

So what is stopping us (the "how long" question)? The Prophet Jeremiah tells us it is "vain thoughts". Vain thoughts are alternatively translated to mean: hesitation between right and wrong (sometimes called double-mindedness); or evil thoughts; malicious thoughts; folly; inconsistency; or simply wicked thoughts. So, what can we do to stop stopping ourselves?

Charles Dickens wittily but rightly responded by embellishing Young's saying, "Procrastination is the thief of time, collar it". He recommends doing what we should do with all thieves, "collar" them, meaning arrest, charge and imprison them so they can no longer do us any harm.

I hope we take the Dickensian advice by arresting any lack of progress towards our personal righteousness. I pray we regularly review how well kept are our houses and our hearts to be homes fit for the Spirit to dwell within us. And remember, if you need to do some clearing out, do it today.

Samuel.