September 5: Be Late For Something Day

 

September 5:  Be Late For Something Day

Originally scheduled to be celebrated on September 1, this celebration was pushed back to the 5^th. OK, I just made that up, but for all you stressed out slaves to the clock, revel in the fact that such a day exists. Be Late For Something Day was established by the Procrastinators’ Club of America.

Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, The PCA describes its purpose as promoting "the philosophy of relaxation through putting off until later those things that needn't be done today.” It was established in 1956 by Les Waas, who remained its president until 2011.  As of 1995, the club had an international membership of about 6,000 people. The club publishes a newsletter called "Last Month's Newsletter".

The truth is that being habitually late is not desirable. It often (rightfully so) incurs the wrath of others.  Did you know that Christ Himself has been scorned for that very thing?  The Apostle Peter wrote: ^“…knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. ⁴ They will say, “Where is the promise of his (Jesus’) coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4) 

Fair enough.  It DOES seem to be taking a long time for Jesus to come back!  But the same passage explains precisely why:  “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”  There you have it.  God is not mindlessly browsing Facebook.  Jesus didn’t get held up in traffic.  Their great desire to see more people come to repentance accounts for the hold up, because after He returns, there will be no second chances.

What are the implications for us?  Again, 2 Peter 3 makes it clear:  “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, ¹² waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God.”  Did you catch it?  Christ’s return is NOT a fixed day in the future.  We can actually “hasten” the arrival of that day!  How?  By addressing the very thing that is causing the delay—not enough people have repented!

Today, be late for anything you like, but please, don’t tarry in sharing your faith with someone.  Invite as many people as you know to repent and surrender their lives to Christ.  In this way, we “hasten” the second coming.  On that glorious Day, there will be no need to celebrate a “Be Late For Something” day.  Everything will be eternally, right on time.