Each of us has been allotted a certain amount of time here on earth for which we are responsible to God to use it in a way that will glorify and please him.
Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalms 90:12 (NLT)
Since all life comes from, is sustained by, and will return to God, it is only reasonable that we surrender our lives and time to our Creator–Sustainer–Redeemer.
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Colossians 1:15-17 (NLT)
Our time here on earth is a gift from God subject to being retrieved at any moment. What we do with our lives is more important than how long we may live. In God’s sovereignty, some of us are given a relatively short time. Others live for a much longer span.
… All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalms 139:16 (NIV)
From our point of view, life is filled with uncertainty. None of us knows the day of his or her death. These human bodies, though resilient, can also be quickly extinguished. However, according to the Bible, we are safeguarded by Him until the time when He has chosen for us to depart from this earth.
But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, "You are my God!" 15 My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. Psalms 31:14-15 (NLT)
Our security is found in being in God’s will and presence, not in being removed from evil or dangerous circumstances.
On occasion, hostile crowds of people wanted to put Jesus to death for perceived blasphemy, but he was unharmed because His time had not yet come. But when the time arrived for Him to die on the cross, He did not resist.
Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.” 54 So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home... Luke 22:53-54 (NLT)
We too should live our lives in bold obedience to the Spirit of God, knowing that our Keeper protects his people.
The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. 8 The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. Psalm 121:7-8 (NLT)
Knowing this will allow us to calmly pass through the gates of death into God’s glory when our time finally arrives.
But what do we do with the millions of seconds that pass each year? Are we accountable to God for each one? The answer is “yes.”
Faithful disciples are privileged to surrender each moment of every day to the Lord.
This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24 (NLT)
Instead of “killing” or wasting time, we are challenged to “redeem” it.
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT)
Jesus told the parable of the virgins who were unprepared for their master’s coming and could not go into the feast. Time waits for no person. When the door of opportunity swings open, we must be ready to enter. When it swings shut, the opportunity has passed.
When we are a new disciple, it is wise to prepare ourselves for the future through study of the Word and developing our ministry skills.
This can usually be done effectively in a discipleship relationship with a mentor, preferably in a local church. We will get opportunities to serve along the way as the Lord sees fit. It is important for us not to think so highly of ourselves that we refuse seemingly menial service. Even our Lord washed his disciples’ feet.
Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25 Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Luke 22:24-26 (NLT)
The Lord told us in another parable that the one whom the master finds serving his household well will be put in charge of much, but those who are unfaithful will receive punishment.
How we serve now prepares us for future promotion if the Lord allows it.
Jesus told us that he who is faithful in little things will also be faithful with much, but he who is unfaithful with what seem to be insignificant matters, will also be unfaithful with more important things. (Luke 16:10)
Our character is revealed by how we approach our responsibilities and influences how useful we can be to God.
This brings us to a third consideration. We have this lifetime to prepare for an eternity in heaven. We will be rewarded for our obedience and for our love for Christ. Our heavenly Father is in the process of transforming each of us to look, think, and act like Jesus.
If we do not spend our time cooperating with the Holy Spirit in this process of transformation, we may suffer loss in eternity.
Because of God's special favor to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12 Now anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. 14 If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (NLT)
Every day we get opportunities to submit ourselves to God’s transformation process, or we can waste our time by being self-centered, stubborn, and resistant, making it necessary for God to discipline us repeatedly regarding the same issues. The Israelites under Moses’ leadership spent forty years traversing the desert when the trip could have been made much more quickly. The problem was in their hearts.
Let us strive to cooperate with God and redeem the time allotted to us.
Lastly, we must realize that God does not regard time as we do. To Him, one day is as a thousand years.
But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. 2 Peter 3:8-10 (NLT)
His transformation process may require many years to complete. We may be old and well past our prime when He finally fulfills a promise He made to us when we were much younger. That is because his idea of what is our “prime” is much different than ours. Remember: he did not put Moses into action until he was eighty! We want to be people who are still bearing fruit in our old age.
God is looking for serious people who will be faithful with their time and available for use in His kingdom.
Abraham was a very old man when he received his promised son, the beginning of the lineage of Christ. We should never write ourselves off as being too old or too young or too weak or too insignificant.
God uses the most unlikely people who choose to submit their lives and time to him in obedient trust.
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Questions for Further Study and Discussion
- How can we remain at rest while being careful to redeem our time instead of wasting it?
- Can you think of anything you can do now to be better prepared for God’s plan for your coming days?
