The word “deadline” originated during the American Civil War in a confederate prisoner of war camp. Officials at the camp in Anderson, Georgia created a line over which no prisoners were allowed to cross without risking death by gunfire from the guard towers.
That original deadline produced fear and death. But today deadlines can do just the opposite. They can give life and hope to a project that would otherwise never be completed.
Maybe you are facing a project right now that is dead. It is lifeless. At one point you were enthusiastic about it. But now there is no progress. There is no movement. It’s cold, languishing and failing. That could be because there is no deadline attached to it. Deadlines bring focus and energy to get the job finished.
The death of Jesus was actually a life-giving event. We have the hope of eternal life because He completed His mission on time and could say “It is finished.” Follow His example and you’ll redeem the time.
Rick Grubbs is best known as the host of “Redeeming the Time,” a one-minute radio program featured on hundreds of radio outlets around the world. He has spoken thousands of times on Biblical time management in all 50 states and 26 other countries. He is the author of the book “Morning Momentum: God’s plan for launching an unstoppable day”. He and his wife Carrie live in Salisbury NC with several of their 12 children.
