By Pastor Anthony L. Scott
Ephesians 5:15-20
It has been well noted by others that when we kill time, we must remember that time has no resurrection. Therefore, the Bible instructs us to make wise use of our time. What are we to do with our moments? How are we best to spend this day, the next hour, or the present moment? What does God want us to be doing?
The wise Christian is always aware that there is a limited time in which to fulfill our purpose, otherwise the opportunities given may be lost forever. The element of time is the most undervalued and underutilized resource available. Far too many neglect to make the most of the gift of time and the even greater gift of life. Making the most of moments means laying hold of and understanding the special significance of life.
Redeeming the time is necessary because time has a forelock, so you can seize it when you meet it. Once it’s past you cannot seize it again. Redeeming the time also involves understanding what the will of the Lord is in contrast to being foolish or having no mind. It is easy to observe that some are like Christopher Columbus when it comes to understanding. He didn’t know where he was going, he didn’t know where he was when he arrived, and he didn’t know where he had been when he returned. Others adopt the Otis Redding perspective on life, “sittin’ on the dock of the bay watchin’ the tide, roll away, sittin’ on the dock of the bay wastin’ time.”
Psalm 32:9, says, “do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, otherwise they will not come near to you.” Bit and bridle are indicative of a superior will that helps give direction to life. They are means necessary to achievement. We can live but we cannot achieve unless the forces of our being are under the controlling power of God to direct and energize. Life needs restraint to be realized and impulse to achieve.
Making the Most of Time not only requires understanding what the will of the Lord is but also being thankful. Thankful for the gift of life and thankful for the element of time that accompanies life. Shakespeare wrote in King Lear, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.” Ingratitude in His children wounds the heart of our Father. Let’s vow to enter this week thankful to God for the season in which we are living and realize the significance of the pregnant present moment.
