John 9:4- "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."
Throughout His life and ministry, Jesus set an example for us in countless ways. One of those ways was in His attitude towards service to the Father, and this verse accurately expresses that attitude in a nutshell.
Jesus clearly saw the urgency of serving the Father. He knew that there was a lot to do and only a limited time in which to do it. This is why He said that he MUST do the Father's work. It had to take priority in His life. Jesus' thoughts were not of Himself or His desires. Think of His time in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed that the "cup" would "pass from Him" because, humanly speaking, He knew the physical pain that was coming. However, He submitted Himself to work and complete the Father's plan. How often do we struggle with selfishness in our own lives? It's easy to let our desires take priority, causing us to lose sight of the urgency of the Lord's work. Jesus knew that we would fight this, which is why He so clearly set this example.
We need more Christians who realize and act upon the urgency of the Lord's work. Like Jesus, we must make it a priority. Our world depends upon it.