"car·pe di·em
Latin . seize the day; enjoy the present, as opposed to placing all hope in the future.carpe diem
1817, from L., "enjoy the day," lit. "pluck the day (while it is ripe)," an aphorism from Horace ("Odes" I.xi), from PIE *kerp- "to gather, pluck, harvest." "Here are some sayings in English that have the meaning of carpe diem, which means "sieze the day":
"Strike while the iron is hot."
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may."
Even the Beatles had one in one of their songs, "We Can Work it Out"; It is "Life is very short, and there's no time . . ."
The words gather, pluck and harvest are used to describe "carpe diem", and they are also used in scripture regarding harvesting souls at the endtime. The Christian concept of "carpe diem" is rather different, as we are adjured to work, rather than "enjoy" the day, as grace is offered before the judgment that is coming. In that respect, siezing the day, as a worker in God's harvest has eternal consequences. Following are scriptures illustrating "carpe diem", or why we Christians must "sieze the day":
John 9:4I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
2 Corinthians 6:2New King James Version (NKJV)2 For He says:“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.Luke 12:16-21New King James Version (NKJV)16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”Luke 10:2Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.Revelation 14:14-16New King James Version (NKJV)Reaping the Earth’s Harvest
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.Daniel 7:9-11
New King James Version (NKJV)Vision of the Ancient of Days
9 “I watched till thrones were put in place,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire;
10 A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
The court was seated,
And the books were opened.11 “I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.Revelation 20:11-13
New King James Version (NKJV)The Great White Throne Judgment
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.