Time-Keepers
Today’s Verse:
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. ~Ephesians 5:16
In all sporting competitions, contestants are dealing with time constraints. Runners and swimmers race to beat a previous time. Basketball and football players must use their playing time wisely to beat the competition. They try to score as many points as they can before time runs out. As the minutes and seconds count down, they are very wise and prudent with the use of timeouts to outwit the competition. Foremost in these events is the responsibility of a time-keeper. The time-keeper makes certain that the time is carefully watched and not manipulated. He keeps a close eye on time being taken, time remaining, and time as a whole. Time is important in everything. We are time-keepers of our lives. This morning, we see a powerful exhortation regarding the use of our time.
We see the LIMITATION of time.
Everyone has the same amount of time every day. No one has an advantage or disadvantage over others when it comes to time. We cannot repeat the past. Whatever happened before today is past. We live in the forward and future. We have a defined, limited time block each day. After we allow for work, school, eating, and rest, we have a limited amount of time for whatever else is important to our schedule. With a limited amount of time, we don’t have a lot of time left over. Consider that we have a limited amount of time for our spouses and children. We have a limited amount of time to excel at work and school. We have a limited amount of time each day to study God’s Word and pray. We have a limited amount of time to preach the gospel and win people to Christ. What time we have is like an ice cube that is left at room temperature: it slowly melts away until it no longer exists. Time is limited.
We see the LOSS of time.
Lost time is time that is squandered and wasted. It is time that is slept away in slothfulness and indolence. It is time wasted playing games. It is time that is not put to good use when we have delays or have to wait. It is travel time that is not taken advantage of. It is time spent talking about things and people that add no benefit to our wellbeing or the wellbeing of others. Lost time is irrecoverable. Lost time is time that escapes us and results in regrets and disappointment. Lost time is not doing what we should be doing. It is time that we fail to manage and fill up. Lost time is like a basketball team that does not use the first 47 minutes of the clock well, and is facing the remaining one minute before the game is over. When the last second is over, they will have regrets over lost opportunities.
We see the LEVERAGE of time.
The leverage of time is when we redeem it. It means we are buying up our opportunities. It means we are planning ahead. It means we are establishing meaningful goals and timelines to accomplish them. It means we look at what God has given us, and decide by faith to do something great for Him. It includes planning our day so that we have time to do everything that is important, such as studying God’s Word, praying, witnessing, quality time with our family, helping others out, chores, and daily duties. It is trying to multi-task responsibilities so that more gets done. It is involving other family members and key people in our lives in accomplishing something great together. For a young person, leveraging time is knowing God’s will and doing something great for the rest of his life. For someone going through a trial, the leverage of time is letting God teach and grow us through the trial, so that we are a better person. For older adults entering or in the fourth quarter of life, it is making every moment count with family and doing more. For retirees, it is finishing life strong by doing as much as he or she can for God’s glory.
Redeem the time, and buy up every opportunity. The days we live are getting worse, and not better. While we wait and waste time, wickedness continues to abound and make inroads. Be a wise time-keeper.
Have a timely God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 2 Samuel 19-21