Keep a Sense of Urgency!
1 Jesus knew that the time he had on earth to accomplish his Father’s work was limited. (John 9:4) Hence, he carried out his ministry with a sense of urgency, and he trained his disciples to do the same. (Luke 4:42-44; 8:1; 10:2-4) Material comforts were of secondary importance to him. (Matt. 8:20) Thus, he was able to finish the work Jehovah had given him to do.—John 17:4.
2 Limited Time: The time to preach the good news in “all the inhabited earth” is also limited. (Matt. 24:14) Bible prophecy reveals that we are living deep in the time of the end. Soon “those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus . . . will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction.” (2 Thess. 1:6-9) That judgment will arrive with striking suddenness. (Luke 21:34, 35; 1 Thess. 5:2, 3) People need to wake up to their perilous situation. It is our responsibility to help them to seek Jehovah’s favor while there is yet time.—Zeph. 2:2, 3.
3 Doing All We Can: Recognizing that “the time left is reduced,” God’s servants give priority to the preaching work. (1 Cor. 7:29-31; Matt. 6:33) Some have forgone economic opportunities or other personal pursuits in order to increase their share in the ministry. (Mark 10:29, 30) Others continue to have “plenty to do in the work of the Lord” despite enduring trials. (1 Cor. 15:58) Many have been publicly declaring the good news for decades without wavering. (Heb. 10:23) Jehovah highly values all such sacrifices in support of Kingdom interests.—Heb. 6:10.
4 Centering our lives on the worship of Jehovah, which includes the preaching work, helps us to keep Jehovah’s day close in mind. It protects us from becoming distracted by Satan’s world and fortifies our resolve to maintain holy conduct. (2 Pet. 3:11-14) Indeed, carrying out our ministry with a sense of urgency can be lifesaving, both for ourselves and for those who listen to us.—1 Tim. 4:16.