Do you keep a ‘Things to do’ list? Things which cannot, or are not ready to be entered into the diary as definite dates? I 
have such a list from time to time, usually on an odd bit of paper. But the trouble is that it needs to be kept updated, and there tend to be some things that stay on the list and never get done. Alas!
The apostle Paul had his list of ‘things to do’. When writing to the church in Rome, while probably concluding his third missionary journey, he informs them that he plans to go to Spain (15:24) and that on the way he hopes to visit them.
Meanwhile he’s on his way back to Jerusalem. But as soon as he can he’ll be with them in Rome. Well he certainly got to Rome eventually, but we don’t know if he ever got to Spain. Earlier, Paul had written to the Christians in Corinth assuring them that it was on his list of ‘things to do’ to come and stay with them after visiting Macedonia (1 Cor 16: 5&6).
Another plan he had while in prison was to send Timothy ‘as soon I see how things go with me’ (Phil 2:19 & 23) to encourage the Philippian church members.
Plans, hopes, intentions can be thwarted for one reason or the other. Or maybe we can be put off too easily and thus things just don’t get done.
It wasn’t like that with the Lord Jesus, of course. His plan of things to do while here on earth had been settled and committed to, back in eternity,
and nothing thwarted his plan to arrive at Jerusalem at the right time to pay the price of our sins in dying on the cross and then rising triumphantly over death and the grave. 40 days on, according to plan, he ascended back to heaven and
the right hand of his Father, and it’s on his ’things to do’ list to return one day to bring his believing people to his side in Glory. In the meantime, in giving his Holy Spirit to be with his apostles, he gave a new list of ’things to do’. And at the top of the list was the instruction ‘You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth’ (Acts 1:8).
They couldn’t do all that in their lifetimes, many of which would be shortened by execution, but the work of testifying has reached this end of the earth and it’s at the top of our list of ‘Things to do’. I remember a song that my friend Gordon Berry used to sing, which challenges me:
Did you ever hear God speaking to you,
Saying “I’ve got a job to do,
And I’ll sure be needing you,
If it ever gets done.
I’ve got a song round the world to bring,
A song for every one to sing
Of the joy that Christ can bring
Like he brought it to you.
I wonder, do you recognize it on your list? And if it is down to you and me, will it ever get done?
Steve Piggott
Elder
June 2014
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