THE TIME IS NOW

(7-minute read)

Many of us are familiar with common refrains like ‘Not now’, or ‘Not today’. But without saying exactly when, they become tactics that people use to escape an obligation, or avoid doing something important that they are not willing to do. People who view any demand on their time and effort as unwelcome interruptions to their laidback way of life often engage in the same tactic with God. Ordinarily, they struggle to check in with Him on what truly matters before reacting to the demands of life. While declaring their faithfulness to God, there is little evidence in their lives of cultivating Kingdom principles, or yielding Kingdom harvests.

At its core, Kingdom living is about people - from guiding those struggling in spiritual darkness to supporting believers who are disheartened. It is the measure that we activate Kingdom-mindedness, starting with people in our sphere of influence. It is a mental model that guides our response and relationships. It is demonstrated not by our reactivity (we see a need, we meet the need and there is an outcome) but by our willingness to go deeper with the Holy Spirit and extend our reach where and when it is needed (not when it is convenient to us).

In fact, Jesus was acutely aware of how much His own disciples missed both the true nature and urgency of active ministry. Since it was central to His existence, it troubled the Lord that even those closest to Him remained none the wiser and slow to understand.

John 4:34-38 captured the moment when Jesus had just made an unconventional move to travel through Samaria to Galilee. Samaria was a region that Jews avoided at all costs, even though it saved substantial travel time. However, the Lord’s decision to pass through Samaria revealed an urgency that had nothing to do with cutting travel time. It was driven by a certain preoccupation, a different perspective and an engaging partnership that was evident throughout His entire life. 

So how did these factors influence His ministry?

PREOCCUPATION

Jesus was constantly preoccupied (almost obsessed) with doing the will of His Father. Where John 4:4 noted, “Now He had to go through Samaria”, it emphasizes an imperative that could not be avoided even though it invited criticisms and understandable discomfort among His disciples. Though exhausted, hungry and parched by the time He arrived at the Samarian town of Sychar at midday, Jesus would not pick another place, or another time to meet a nameless Samaritan woman yearning for the Kingdom of God. It was her spiritual thirst that drew the Lord to her even though their interaction was controversial in that it crossed  boundaries of great significance.

Today, when we hear stories of people who travel over three hours each day to reach disadvantaged communities in remote areas, we think that they are impactful because of the great misfortunes of the people they meet. In reality, spending time to show care for people will always yield impactful outcomes. These days, however, people (including believers) hide behind the convenience of texting to avoid personal time with each other, doing little to alleviate the growing epidemic of loneliness.

In contrast, as evidenced in Jesus’ entire ministry, He habitually stopped and met with people individually wherever He went. In the town of Nain, He approached a grieving mother at a funeral procession, and told her ‘Don’t cry’ before He raised her young son back to life and returned him back to her (Luke 7:11-15). When passing through Jericho, He stopped at the spot under the sycamore tree where Zacchaeus had perched high above-ground, looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” (Luke 19:1-6). 

Our personal experience of God’s amazing grace must overshadow the exigencies of daily life. In other words, we cannot be so preoccupied with chasing our own tails in the ordinariness of life (including work, leisure, healthcare, mental care and spiritual life) that we fail to chase after things that are on God’s heart. 

‘My food… is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.’ (John 4:34). Jesus was fueled by living out God’s mission in the ordinariness of His life on earth. We won’t ever find the Lord described as a light-touch and low-involvement person in the way He connects with people.

What about you? What keeps you preoccupied everyday?

PERSPECTIVE

Show a photo of a pig to a butcher, a veterinarian, a chef and a group of children. What do you think they see? In all probability, they will all see different things based on what experiences they have with pigs. The butcher sees a product, the veterinarian sees a patient, the chef sees a dish, and children may think of The Three Little Pigs. 

Now think of all the people in your life – what do you think Jesus sees? And what do you see? Jesus tells us to look at the fields. “Don’t you have a saying, “It’s still four months until harvest”? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” (John 4:35). 

Do you hold back and say, ‘Not now’, ‘Not me’, ‘Not today’. 

Do not conclude that ingrained mindsets will never change. Many experience God’s transformative power. Learn to pray prophetically for those in your life. Start seeing through the Holy Spirit’s revelation, not through traditions and your own assumptions. See possibilities in the supernatural, not the natural. 

PARTNERSHIP

No one works alone: no matter how efficient a farmer is, he cannot work alone. We work together as both sowers and reapers. In seasons when others in our lives are making great impact in their communities, we sow prayers alongside them. When we are expecting breakthroughs in our communities, others sow prayers “so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.” (John 4:36). We don’t detach from all that is happening around us - the effervescence of life transformation – even if we are not directly involved in those situations. We sow prayers. We sow love and support so that those who are working the hard grounds of salvation are encouraged to keep doing what they do joyfully. 

“Thus the saying “One sows and another reaps” is true.” (John 4:37).

We work in partnership with the Holy Spirit. But at the same time, we are told – whether we reap or sow - to find something to do! Since Jesus sees that the fields are ripe for harvest, how can we say we have nothing to do and no one to pray for? Look at the people who are working the grounds and offer to pray for them as they labour. If you are seeing a great harvest, don’t work alone. Find someone to co-labour with you.  

In Acts 3, we see that Peter and John’s friendship emboldened them in the Spirit when they boldly reached out to a lame man who had never walked a day in his life, and told him to walk. Paul began his ministry with Barnabus, and later Silas. Cornelius’s baptism was made possible by three men instructed by the Holy Spirit to fetch Peter from his house to go to Cornelius' house. 

Paul said it well in “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

In ministry or in life, it is unwise to go it alone. Our fellowship deepens as we sow and reap together. God has given us a lifetime of sowing and reaping to do, so that we can rejoice together, weep together and give thanks to God together.

This is a summary and reflection based on a virtual BIR Session held on 7 June 2025.