Buy now, pray later

I recently stumbled upon a website presenting findings from a worldwide poll of religious beliefs at the turn of the century. According to this poll, 87% of people worldwide considered themselves to be part of a religion. This was surprising in itself. Interestingly, only 32% were actively practising their faith by attending a church service once a week. A related article described Christianity in America as being ‘a mile long and an inch thick’, insinuating that it was a culture with lots of talk but very little depth of knowledge, understanding or connection with God.

Sadly, the ‘buy now, pray later’ philosophy appears to have become a worldwide epidemic. In today’s society, we want what we want and we want it now. We have a ‘confessional booth’ mindset, where we are content to go about our lives however we see fit and feign penitence later on.

As Christians we need to seek the wisdom and direction of the Lord and not our own way, which may seem right for a little while, but is usually only a response to the thrill or pleasure of the moment. As the wise man wrote, ‘A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, and the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.’ Prov 12:14 -15.

Our choices and actions will have consequences. We can’t ‘buy now’, fulfilling all our fleshly desires, and ‘pray later’, seeking a tokenistic forgiveness once the pleasure of the moment has passed. The ‘deeds of our hand’ will always return to us. Instead, we need to walk each day with the Lord, seeking His mind and direction for our life. This is how sincere joy can be found for a lifetime, rather than for a fleeting moment.

Penny Smith

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Feature Articles
July 2010

Making recovery

Where is He?

Resurrection on trial

Buy now, pray later

Set alight

Seven things that God hates

Women's work

Finding pillars

Coming of age