Tuesday, January 22, 2019
HOW TIME FLIES!
Eph
5:15-17
15 See then that ye walk
circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time,
because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but
understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Paul told
the Ephesians that time should be redeemed
whenever possible. The word redeem is the Greek exagorazo and means “to
rescue from loss.”
I’ve slept
later than usual which is both a blessing and a
curse. It is a blessing because I obviously needed the rest and a curse because
I feel that I have lost something very valuable. Burning the candle at both
ends makes for a very uncomfortable middle but it seems we all have a problem
with time.
Someone
has installed a V-8 engine on my clock and a jet
on my calendar! Even with spiked track shoes, I can’t seem to catch up. How
does one manage time? Paul gives us some suggestions.
First, we
are to “walk circumspectly.”
The Greek word is akribos and literally means “exactly.” This calls for
precise, intentional, and un-wasted movements. It does not suggest there be no
leisure but that the leisure be full of purpose. The broader sense is that our
work be energetic and full of purpose.
Next, we
are to recognize the “times.”
The days are evil or calamitous, hurtful, and degenerate. The days in which we
live will not help us accomplish our purposes. We will be constantly pushing
against the culture because it will be pushing us.
Finally, a clear understanding of the will of the Lord is
essential. The Christian is cautioned to avoid wasting time on things that do
not fit God’s will.
The last verse of Rudyard Kipling’s poem IF goes like
this:
If
you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty
seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything
that’s in it,
And—which is
more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
Dear Lord, let me be cautiously
aware of my time, my times, and my doings. Let me spend my time and energy
wisely today. AMEN
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