| Show procrastination the word implies delay putting off until another day what might be done today in this sense and in relation to the preparation so necessary to make to 0 meet the coming in g world changes which are inevitable there are many procrastinators J onah jonah was a procrastinator although he delayed his mission to nineveh because he wanted to avoid giving the messa message e he was directed by god to relay to the people of this wicked city he thought by delaying z the message which god told him to deliver in order that the people might repent and the destruction of their city be avoided there would be no chance for repentance and his own people who were under the domination of the syrians assyrians As would be freed the account in the bible tell the whole story and many there are who think it is allegorical just as some think the story of the crucifixion is a myth because they have no wish to follow the teaching t of the christ in the I 1 case of jonah lie he was given a special mission as direct word from god to deliver a message to a wicked people which if observed would prevent the destruction of their city although a great prophet of his time he tried to disobey the summons and set sail for a distant city with the result mentioned in the bible whereby he was thrown into the sea at his own bidding during a storm whereupon t the storm that was raging abated and the crew and the ship were saved in the january issue of destiny magazine the story is told in full detail and the experience of being in the body of a huge sea monster for three days and nights and his subsequent change of heart as result of the suffering of those three days brought about the further instruction from the lord which compelled jonah to carry out the order during mhd remaining forty days which were granted to the people of nineveh in order that salvation be theirs we use this story to illustrate what so many are doing today who are professed students of the bible or of some other form of metaphysical teaching but who fail to see any truth in prophecy nor have they any wish to change their habits of living in order that the worldwide world wide destruction now in progress be lessened and the final changes be less difficult to meet god has set a time for the end of the old order of living and the story is plainly told in many chapters of the old and of the new testament god has also promised that the time of tribulation will be shortened for the elects sake meaning for those people who are trying to live in accord with the highest ideals of christian life As in the time of jonah a time limit has been set and somehow many who have procrastinated or who have refused to believe that the end of evil is so close will change their minds and habits of living which are contrary to divine law and suddenly there will be a great desire to prepare in every sense of the word for the changes to come which in turn will bring about the new and better age of living As in the case of jonah they will see the wisdom of paying heed to the call to change their location or their present mode of living some as result of suffering through which chey are now passing and many because they will begin to see in the happenings of these days the hand of god in operation in accord with predictions and prophecies of the bible or through some other form of deduction if we know that this will occur there would be little use to continue our effort toward interpretation of things we know are in the offing and because the suffering ix all parts of the world is increasing and will soon be more pronounced in our country there will be many who like jonah will obey the inner of their own hearts and join the ranks of the ever increasing number of honest to goodness christians who place jesus the christ first as the leader and master of this planet rather than to look to some person in human form to lead them out of the present distress or unpleasant conditions of the present kour hour of uncertainty it is also encouraging to note that many who have been given to metaphysical study are now turning to the bible and finding therein the whole story of creation and the proof of prophecy fulfilled in the past as well as a better understanding of that which is of the immediate future when the final five per cent will come to pass some there are who think the bible is obsolete this is not so although the time is not fax distant when it may he be used only as a reference work but not until the last of the seeming mystery in the book of revelations is made clear and the prophecy contained therein has been fulfilled the study of gods word for the purpose of discovering gods will is the secret discipline which has formed the greatest characters J W alexander |
