Sitting Idle

If you ever find yourself in the great metropolitan area of Downtown Gallatin, Tennessee you might have witnessed what I recently saw. Like any other bustling downtown areas, parking is at a minimum. However in Gallatin, you can still park for free...kinda!
Recently as I sat in my truck outside one of the stores there in town, I noticed this old lady walking down the sidewalk but this wasn't your regular old lady, she had a walk about her...a kind of swagger if you will. It wasn't a rapper, pants to the ground and underwear hangin out swagger but more like a John Wayne "Howdy Pilgrim" swagger. As I watched her in my rear view mirror, I noticed as she moved her way towards me that she had two things in her hands. One looked like a pad of some sort and the other looked to me like some sort of metal stick. As she got closer to me, I saw that this woman was somehow associated with law enforcement because of her badge that she had proudly displayed on her white shirt that was neatly tucked into her high rising polyester blue pants! I watched her as she passed by and I noticed her take that stick that she had and touch the car ahead of me. I quickly got out to see what it was that she was doing (after she turned the corner)and I noticed that she placed a yellow chalk mark on the tire of the car as she went by. As I stood there perplexed, a man said to me "You got two hours from the time that mark goes on your tire...she'll be back with a ticket in hand". I asked him who she was and he said that she was the "Parking Nazi"...whatever that means? He then tells me that they really don't want people and their cars just sitting idle here!
Boy how that can apply to you and I spiritually. I know there are and have been times that God has said to me on many occasions, "I don't want you sitting idle here". Idle time is wasted time and it gets you nowhere! Many Christians live that way and sadly, pass it along to their family as well. We can spend a lot of time basically doing nothing for God. I have been there and if this pastor has, I know you have been too! Oh there are a lot of things that I want to do for the Lord, but sadly I never get around to it. It might be spending more time in His Word, praying for others or loving people more. My intentions are great, but I end up idling away opportunities and time. In the book of 2 Thessalonians 3 , we see where the Apostle Paul urged these early believers to stop living "Idle Lives". These people were not working but also doing nothing for God!
So what are you waiting on? Has God given you an idea, a dream that you have just been sitting on? Have you neglected the responsibilities that you have as a follower of Christ? God is waiting on you to step up and do your part. Just take note, if you continue to sit idle, you might not get a mark from the "Parking Nazi" but I promise you He is marking it down on what you have or have not done for Him and possibly missing out on His many wonderful blessings!
See You @The River...Pastor John