By Matt Osborne, Staff Writer

I can’t believe it’s been almost 30 years since the Dallas Cowboys won their last Super Bowl.

Though “America’s Team” has made the playoffs numerous times since 1995, the Cowboys haven’t even managed to advance to the NFC Championship game since their last time hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

Following three consecutive 12-win seasons, however, there’s still a lot of optimism that the Cowboys may be on the brink of returning to the Super Bowl.

If the Cowboys are to accomplish that goal in the 2024 season, they will need the services of star receiver CeeDee Lamb, who is currently out of activities due to contract negotiations.

Dallas owner Jerry Jones recently received criticism for stating he felt no “urgency” to complete an extension with Lamb.

Although he later clarified he was attempting to convey that Lamb didn’t need training camp reps because he’s a proven commodity, many people perceived his comments as a slight against his team’s best offensive weapon. It seems foolish for the Cowboys to waste time instead of getting a deal done with one of their key players.

There’s no denying the Cowboys need to feel a sense of urgency about Lamb’s contract situation, not only for this season but for a healthy relationship between the parties moving forward. It’s important that they don’t delay any longer and quickly get him back on the field.

As followers of Jesus, there’s, likewise, no denying we’ve been called to live with a sense of urgency as we await the return of our Lord and Savior.

In speaking to His followers immediately preceding His arrest, Jesus said in Matthew 24:42-44 (ESV), “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

None of us knows for sure when our time on earth will come to an end, whether by physical death or the return of Jesus.

But we can be confident that we have only a limited amount of time to produce fruit and glorify God while living with our earthly bodies.

Since there will be a time when we’ll no longer be able to glorify the Lord on this earth, we should all live with an appropriate sense of urgency and desire to make the most of whatever time the Lord graciously affords us.

Romans 13:11 (NLT) encourages us, “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”

Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV) adds, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

For those of us who love the Lord, our greatest desire is to love Him and serve Him with all we have. If we aren’t careful, though, we can lose some of our passion and urgency as we get caught up in the day-to-day affairs of life.

So today, let’s be encouraged to keep the sense of urgency as we serve God. Our salvation is secure in Christ, but our opportunity to glorify Him with our current lives is growing shorter. Let’s not waste time or delay, but rather make the most of every second by bringing glory to the Lord!

I’m Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for graciously giving me the privilege of serving You. Please help me live with an appropriate sense of urgency so I can use my time wisely. I look forward to the day I will see you face-to-face. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.