Time - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
I woke up this morning with the thought of time on my mind. No wonder.....I was awake several times overnight and then around 5 am I began the process of, "How long before I should get up?" Here we go, "It's 5:00 and I have to leave the house at 8:30 for a dentist appointment at 8:50. That gives me 3 1/2 hours. Hmmm....what do I have to do before I leave? Make my bed, always....time with Jesus, always.....get cleaned up, always....then I began to think of household chores that I might want to do because I have to go directly from the dentist to take my mom to a doctor appointment." I finally determined that getting up at 6:00 would give me plenty of time to do what had to be done and get me where I needed to go on time.
I've heard many, many people say that after retirement their lives are so busy they don't know how they actually fit work in! I get it! I am struggling with time. I either have too much, which is, in my opinion, awful OR I don't have enough and find myself frazzled. Such a conundrum. If I had to choose I'd rather be frazzled. Trying to fill time means bad choices.....spending money.....eating too much.....thinking too much......indulging habits that really need to go away for good.
I find myself anxious to dive into God's word to see what he says about time. He has a lot to say.....I know it. What does HE want me to do with the time I've been given? More than anything I want to use my time wisely. I remember a time when I couldn't get my beloved to sit down and relax.....and when I could actually sit down and read a novel in two days flat. He was always doing and I knew the art of relaxing. Now, in so many ways, I look back and realize his relaxing was just different from mine and my doing was different from his. Neither wrong.....just different. What was right for him wasn't wrong for me and vice versa. Why do we try to get people to conform to our routines? We are each different, created from a mold only used once and each with a life plan unique to them. So what does the word of God say about time? What am I supposed to be doing with my time, the time He has given me?
I read this quote:
"God's Word advises us to use our time wisely because He knows that there are many things in life that can distract us from what truly matters. Do not waste your time so that you look back with regret - you do not know what tomorrow holds!"
AMEN and AMEN! I've lived that last part!
I can't help but go to Ecclesiastes. Solomon, described as "a fabulously wealthy and wise King" set out to enjoy life. He had everything! And I mean everything! He built houses, planted vineyards. He made gardens and parks and planted fruit trees in them. He built reservoirs to water them. He had people that worked for him....lots of them. He had more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem. He amassed silver and gold, singers and a haram. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines!
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books in the Bible. Solomon had everything money could buy. All the things we think we need. All the things we think will make us happy. But in the end ALL was found to be meaningless. Some translations say "Vanity!! Vanity!!"
In Ephesians (5:15-16 KJV) and Colossians (4:5 KJV) it talks about "redeeming the time". A commentary says, "To redeem something means to buy it back, to regain possession of it.
Time is a gift from God, and none of us know how much of it we are allotted. Only God knows how much time each of us has on this earth to make decisions that will impact eternity (Psalm 139:16). When God says we should be “redeeming the time,” He wants us to live in constant awareness of that ticking clock and make the most of the time we have."
Ephesians 5:16 NIV says it this way, "Be very careful, then, how you live---not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
And just like that an hour has passed and I must move forward. I, literally, could stay right here for hours. Pouring over all that God says about time. But I'll end here with Solomon's conclusion:
"Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.
For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil."
Ecclesiastes 12:13
God, you already know what today holds for me. Your word says that every day is written before one of them comes to be. Help me to redeem my time, help me to make the most of every opportunity. Lord, help me not to miss what you lay before me today...whether it be a circumstance or a person. Help me to understand more fully that time is so, so precious. I actually cringe that I have to ask you to show me how precious time is.....like I haven't lived it. Forgive me that I can be such a slow learner. I want to do better God and I know that if I take you with me....because, I confess, sometimes I don't, that I can and will be productive for your kingdom. I really want that Lord. Thank you for being patient with me and showing me your unconditional love.