Time is something we all feel we don’t have enough of. Yet each one of us has the same amount. There are 24 hours in every day. It is also spoken of as “passing fast” or “passing slow.” However, there are always 60 seconds to a minute, 24 hours to a day, 7 days to a week, and so on. It is the same for all of us. The difference is how we use it. Do we manage our time, or do we waste it on things that keep us from being what God wants us to be for Him? If you are a Christian, time has moral and spiritual significance. Time is that measurable opportunity that God has allowed on this earth to make a difference for Him.
Do you treasure the time that God has given you? If you do, you will be using it to its full advantage. God did not come to this earth, die for our sins, forgive us, and bless us with time here, just so we could selfishly fritter it away. In Ephesians 5:16, Paul admonishes us to “redeem the time.” In this verse, he is instructing us to rescue our time from waste, to make sure we are using it for purposes that honor and glorify God. Time cannot be relived, but it can be redeemed. God has entrusted us with this precious gift of time on this earth, and He expects us to make the most of it for Him.
Ephesians 5:16 “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Once a day is gone, what you did with that time is settled. We have no power over yesterday, but we do over today. We have choices at every turn, and we are to weigh what are the best uses of our time. Are we going to do things that will lay up treasures for eternity, or will we plan our day on selfish opportunities? Every moment you have a choice. Time, in itself, is not bad or good. It is what we do with it that determines the quality of it.
Are you growing in the grace of God? Do you set aside time to spend studying and praying? For those who say, “I don’t have time,” I say, “You don’t have time not to.” The most important time you will ever spend for yourself, and for the benefit of your loved ones, is to study and pray. This also shows where your confidence lies. It is not what you can do, but what He can do through you.
II Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.”
We are to walk worthy of our calling as Christians. Our lives are to be fruitful and we are to increase in the knowledge of God. This takes time, time dedicated to Him. Using your time wisely is a matter of priorities, and our priorities are usually based on what we love. For instance, if you love sleep, you will do all you can, to get the most you can. It may not be what you need, but you have trained your body to function with a certain amount, and therefore until you go through the discipline of training yourself, you will indulge in extra amounts of sleep.
Colossians 1:10 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
We have the idea that our time is our own, and we can do with it as we wish. We feel entitled to reward ourselves with snippets of pleasure. We think work should be rewarded with play. We want to be amused and not have to think at all. For the average Christian, 1 to 4 hours is set aside for the worship of God in church. They view that as their obligation of time to God. However, all time is His. There is a time for rest, but that rest is not just to take a break from work. It is to enjoy all he has for us, with Him in mind. To view the beauty of His creation as a glorious gift. As we ride a bike, take a walk, meditate, or pray on a park bench, we need to be aware of the beauty He has surrounded us with. Activities should cause our hearts to think of Him. We should praise Him for our abilities and the people we spend our time with.
Time is an appointment. It has been given to us to glorify Him, wherever we are, and in whatever tasks He has given. We are not to live our lives in vain, thinking only of what we want, and what we can get out of this life.
I Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
Are you wasting the precious time God has given you on things that will make no difference in eternity? If you have never accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, now is the appointed time, the moment in time to come to know Him as your personal Lord and Savior. He brought you to this time, but it is your choice how you will use it.
II Corinthians 6:2 “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”
If you are a Christian, you should be grateful for the time He has given you. You show gratitude by using it wisely. Be a reflection of Him, in your work, your play, and your worship. Don’t be a lazy Christian, allowing time to pass you by. Make the most of every moment keeping Christ and eternity in mind. One day we will stand before Him and give an account for all the opportunities He has afforded us. Will He say well done, or will you hang your head in shame?
