“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.
Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4)
Have you ever had an assignment, project, or exam that you had weeks, maybe even months to prepare for, yet you kept convincing yourself there was still time? You kept postponing the work, assuming that when the pressure finally hit, you would somehow rise to the occasion?
Then the deadline arrived. The exam timetable was released. The boss asked for the report. The date on the calendar moved faster than expected and you had nothing to show.
Then you started calling everyone you know, asking questions you should have asked much earlier and trying to absorb in 48 hours what others took months to learn. Finally, when your results are released, it does not surprise you because you know deep down you could have done better.
This is a picture of life.
There is a day season. A time of clarity, health, youth, strength, and opportunity. And there is a night season. A time when strength is tested, options become fewer, and doors may close.
Jesus said:“Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4)
This means the issue is not whether night will come. It will. The issue is whether you worked while it was day. whether you prepared for the night while it was day.
Learn from the Ant
Proverbs 6:6 -8 says “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise.
It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest”
Ants don’t wait for supervision to act, they understand timing. They instinctively know that summer is for gathering while winter is for surviving on what you gathered. They know that if you sleep through your summer, you will be hungry in your winter.
Many believers assume that grace means they can live carelessly and still succeed. They forget that even grace does not cancel the principle of seasons. If anything, It empowers you to maximise them.
What Does “Day” Look Like?
Your day season is your season of planting, planning and preparations
For a young person, it may be now, when you have energy, freedom, and less responsibility.
For a parent, it may be when the children are still young and impressionable.
For a business owner, it may be before market tides shift.
For a couple, it may be the early years when foundation-setting is possible.
During this day season:
- Invest in prayer and fellowship with God (Ecclesiastes 12:1)
- Build discipline and diligence (Proverbs 22:29)
- Read, learn, and prepare (Daniel 9:2)
- Honour the opportunities God places in your hand (Luke 16:10)
Night Will Surely Come
No one desires night seasons, but they come. For some, it is a health challenge that slows them down. For others, it is a shift in life, loss, relocation, transition, or simply old age.
When night comes, it will expose what you did with your day.
The ten virgins in Matthew 25 were all waiting for the same thing, but only five had the foresight to prepare for delay. Matthew 25:6 to 8 says “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out’
By the time the groom arrived, It was too late, night had come and the doors were shut.
For the Believer, Light Still Shines
Here is the hope for us children of God. Even in the night, we are never alone. Psalm 23:4 says “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4)
For the believer, night seasons become battlefields of victory because you did not wait until crisis to start building. You built when the sun was up, you planted seeds in spring and you strengthened your faith when the roof was not leaking. You bought extra oil and stored it when the lamp was still bright. You built your spirit when there was no storm and anchored yourself in God and His word when there was still time.
So now, though the winds blow, your house stands (Matthew 7:24-25).
Work While It is Day
Don’t delay obedience.
Don’t postpone discipline.
Don’t push aside preparation.
Do what you must do now.
Serve God while your hands can move freely.
Build capacity while your mind is sharp.
Love and raise your children while they still call you Mummy.
Study while your eyes can still read.
Pray while your heart is still tender.
Because night will surely come. When it does, what will it reveal?
