Acts 24:22-27: a reflection

22But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, “When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case.” 23He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him. 24After some days, Felix came with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. 25As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.” 26Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore also he sent for him more often and talked with him. 27But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.

When Felix hears Paul reason about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, he is deeply affected, even terrified; but rather than respond, he puts it off to a convenient time that never comes. As Paul reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, the account says, Felix was terrified, and answered, Go your way for this time; when it is convenient for me, I will summon you. Felix felt the weight of what he heard; he was terrified, stirred, moved. But instead of responding then, he deferred it, saying he would attend to it later, at a convenient time, a time that, so far as we know, never came. He put off responding to God, and the moment passed. This is a sobering warning about the danger of deferring our response to God to a convenient time that never comes. Do not defer your response to God to a convenient time. Felix put off responding, and the moment passed. A convenient time to respond to God often never comes. The danger of delaying our response to God is real.

Notice what Felix did with the conviction he felt. He was genuinely moved, even terrified, as Paul reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come; the truth reached him and stirred him. This was a real moment, an opportunity to respond, to turn to God. But Felix did not respond then; he put it off: go for now, and when it is convenient I will call for you. He deferred his response to a more convenient time. And so far as the account shows, that convenient time never came; the moment of conviction passed, and Felix, though he continued to talk with Paul, was more interested in a bribe than in responding to God. This is a sobering warning. We can feel the conviction of God, be genuinely moved, know we should respond, turn, repent; and then, instead of responding then, put it off to a more convenient time, telling ourselves we will attend to it later. But the convenient time often never comes; the moment of conviction passes, the heart grows harder, and the response is never made. When God stirs us and we know we should respond, the time to respond is now, not some convenient later that may never arrive. Do not defer your response to God; respond now, while the moment is here. Do not put off responding to God to a convenient time that may never come. When God stirs you, respond now, not later. The moment of conviction passes; do not let it slip by unheeded. Respond to God now, while the conviction is real.

That is worth taking to heart, for deferring our response to God to a convenient time is a real danger, for that time often never comes, as Felix put off responding and the moment passed. We can feel God's conviction, be genuinely moved, know we should respond, and then defer it to a more convenient time; but Felix, terrified by what he heard, put off responding, and so far as we know never did. The convenient time often never comes. When God stirs you and you know you should respond, do not defer it; respond now, while the moment is here. Do not defer your response to God to a convenient time that may never come, but respond now while the moment is here, as Felix, when he heard Paul reason about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, was terrified and deeply affected but, instead of responding then, put it off, saying, go your way for now, and when it is convenient I will summon you, a convenient time that, so far as the account shows, never came; for Felix felt the weight of what he heard and was stirred and moved, a real moment and opportunity to turn to God, but he deferred his response and the moment passed, and this is a sobering warning, since we can feel the conviction of God, be genuinely moved, know we should respond and turn and repent, and then put it off to a more convenient time, telling ourselves we will attend to it later, but the convenient time often never comes, the moment of conviction passes, the heart grows harder, and the response is never made, so that when God stirs us and we know we should respond, the time to respond is now, not some convenient later that may never arrive.

Lord, when Felix hears Paul reason about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, he is deeply affected, even terrified; but rather than respond, he puts it off to a convenient time that never comes. As Paul reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, the account says, Felix was terrified, and answered, Go your way for this time; when it is convenient for me, I will summon you. Felix felt the weight of what he heard; he was terrified, stirred, moved. But instead of responding then, he deferred it, saying he would attend to it later, at a convenient time, a time that never came. He put off responding to you, and the moment passed. This is a sobering warning about the danger of deferring my response to you. Show me what Felix did with the conviction he felt. He was genuinely moved, even terrified; the truth reached him and stirred him. This was a real moment, an opportunity to respond, to turn to you. But Felix did not respond then; he deferred it to a more convenient time. And so far as the account shows, that convenient time never came; the moment of conviction passed. This is a sobering warning. I can feel your conviction, be genuinely moved, know I should respond, turn, repent; and then, instead of responding then, put it off to a more convenient time, telling myself I will attend to it later. But the convenient time often never comes; the moment of conviction passes, the heart grows harder, and the response is never made. When you stir me and I know I should respond, the time to respond is now. Take that to my heart, for deferring my response to you to a convenient time that never comes is a real danger. When you stir me and I know I should respond, keep me from deferring it to a more convenient time; help me respond now, Lord, while the moment is here and the conviction is real, not letting it slip by unheeded as Felix did.