NOW. Not Later

God hears our prayers, but excuses do not move Him—or heaven.

You will not threaten God with ultimatums, and if you try, you have clearly forgotten who created whom.

Throughout Scripture, God was never impressed by people’s excuses. How tired someone felt, how old they were, how small they thought they were, or how impossible the situation seemed. Limited resources, age, and inconvenient timing have never intimidated God. What moves Him is a "YES." What stirs His heart is surrender.

And yet, we keep coming to God with excuses instead of obedience. We tell Him why now isn’t the right time. We tell Him how weary we are, how disappointed we’ve become, how long we’ve waited for an answer, how frustrated we are with His timing. We say money is too tight, time is too short, I'm just too busy, I’m too old—or too young.

God is not asking for perfection. He’s asking for priority. He’s not moved by polished prayers or good intentions about “someday.” He wants a relationship—it’s all He’s ever wanted. He wants involvement. He wants commitment. He wants devotion. He wants a daily walk, not occasional visits. God is tired of being last on the list, squeezed into the leftover moments of our lives. He doesn’t want to fit into your schedule—He wants to shape it.

Scripture is full of people who tried to excuse their way out of God’s call. Moses talked about his inadequacy. Gideon focused on his weakness. Jonah sailed in the opposite direction. Jeremiah said he was too young. Solomon fell prey to beauty and charm, disregarding God's warning about building temples for other gods. Others told Jesus they would follow Him later—after things settled down, after life became easier, after they handled their business. But God never adjusted His call to fit their comfort. He simply said, “Come. Follow Me.”

Grudges become excuses. “Why didn’t You show up?” “Why did You take my loved one?” “Why is my life so hard?” “Why did You let that happen?” At the end of a calloused-heart grudge is a hard no. I won’t go to church. I won’t commit. I won’t change things to prioritize You in my life. I won’t forgive. And I won’t forget.

A new year is not just a fresh calendar—it’s a divine invitation. An invitation to realign. To reorder. To put God back in His rightful place. First in your mornings. First in your decisions. First in your finances. First in your calendar. First in your expectations. First in your marriage. FIRST. Because when God is first, everything else falls into order.

God is not asking what you can give. He’s asking for your heart. Not later. Not when you feel ready. Not when the timing feels perfect. Not when life slows down. NOW. This year is not about doing more for God… It’s about surrendering more to Him. It’s about choosing devotion over delay—and obedience over excuses.

“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” — Luke 6:46

“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” — Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)