There are certain critical seasons when an intense effort must be made to obtain a goal, for at these seasons opportunities present themselves to us which will not be available at other times. Failure to exert ourselves at such times will result in a disproportionate loss and the wise man sees the decisive hour and responds accordingly.
There are many young people here who love the Lord, and you are believers, and youth, it is a time of tremendous independence, and opportunity. The old writers used to like to apply it this way, it is a harvest almost. It is a time of harvest. Oh it is a time for the building of character, it is a wonderful time for Christian service. Every time is a wonderful time for Christian service, but particularly youth. One day you will be married, one day you will be looking after a family, as men, women, husbands, wives; you will have so much on your plate, you will have been advanced to rather greater responsibilities in employment. You will have responsibilities in the church, responsibilities with your family, and all things clamouring for your time and attention, and you will think, why, those times when I was a youngster, I never had such liberty, such opportunity, such freedom as I had then. What are you doing with that time friends? Some young people really put their backs into serving the Lord, and they know their priorities: that they are given to the Lord. Other young people say, ‘Oh Pastor, we are young, do you not understand, we are special, we have effervescent minds, and interests. Can’t we be provided with all sorts of special things, recreations and entertainments?’ Youth – what a time to build your character, to learn the things of God, to draw near to the Lord, to taste his power and goodness, to bring in your friends?
This is a clearly a picture of the opportunity provided by this life, for it is in this life that we must seek the Lord, find forgiveness in Christ, obtain the salvation of our souls, gain wisdom, and prepare for the Day of Judgment. But if we will not exert ourselves we stand to lose eternity, a disproportional loss. The obtaining of wisdom requires effort, discipline, single-mindedness, and, even though salvation is free and by grace alone, this is not without a cost for we must forsake the world in order to gain Christ. Wisdom however is worth all the labour we put into gaining it.