The Little Word “But”
The gospel call rings clear and true,
Christ died for sinners—me and you.
His blood was shed, His love was shown,
A grace the world has never known.
The Spirit whispers to the heart,
“Come now to Christ, make a new start.
Your sins forgiven, your soul set free—
Eternal life is offered thee.”
And yet a word so small is heard,
A quiet pause… a single word.
“But.”
“But I have time, another day.”
“But I have plans along my way.”
“But I’m not ready yet to bow.”
“But I’ll come later—just not now.”
“But I have lived too wild, too long.”
“But I must fix what I’ve done wrong.”
“But what will friends and family say?”
“But I’ll believe… some other day.”
A tiny word upon the tongue,
So brief it hardly seems among
The weighty things that men may say—
Yet souls are lost through it each day.
For “but” becomes a hardened door
That shuts the heart forevermore.
A fragile breath, a passing span—
No promise comes to mortal man.
The Scripture warns with solemn plea:
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
— 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NKJV)
Tomorrow is a mist, a breath,
A step away from sudden death.
And when eternity appears,
There are no buts beyond the years.
No “but I meant to.”
No “but I planned.”
No “but I almost took His hand.”
The word once small will thunder loud
Among the lost and hopeless crowd.
“But I was close…” the sinner cries.
“But I believed…” the voice replies.
“But I delayed… I meant to come…”
While heaven’s gate and mercy’s done.
O friend, cast down that little word—
Let not its whisper still be heard.
For Christ has paid redemption’s cost,
Why linger still and die lost?
The cross still stands, the Savior calls,
His mercy waits while grace yet falls.
No “but,” no delay—come just as you are.
“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
— Romans 10:9 (NKJV)
So lay aside that word today—
Let faith arise, and do not say…
“But.”