Sweet, Precious Time

Time is the most precious commodity.  It cannot be saved.  It cannot be purchased or bartered.  It cannot be kept.  Above all else, though, time is not an inherent right; it is a gift, the most precious of gifts.  Time is immaterial, yet real.  It is a passage of moments, a sequence of successive events.  Time is, at its heart, how we measure and quantify this phenomena.  Yet to think of time as merely a ruler for gauge the length of sequential moments would be to betray the fundamental nature of time: namely, that we only have so much of it.

Every human being is allotted the same 24-hour day.  We take this profound truth without much thought and little philosophizing.  In reality, we only ever consider the passage of time when its scarcity conflicts with our own convenience, or when our schedules seem "overstuffed" like pouring water into a full glass as it continues to overflow.

There is a rarity to time.  Because there will never be more now that there is.  No one can ever have two minutes in a single second or a year saved up for later use.  This is a simple and deep truth.  However, despite this reality, many people neglect the ramifications: if a person has only so much priceless time at his/her disposal, how he/she chooses to use that time is of the utmost importance.

This is what Paul means: "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Eph 5:15-16).

Pair that with the psalmist: "O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!" (Psa 39:4).  And again, "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psa 90:12).

In the end, there is no greater resource to any person than the resource of time.  It is necessary for all growth, for all healing, for all learning, for all relationships.  It could be said, with certainty, that without time--one of the great gracious gifts of God--no life could be, for it is in the confines of time that life occurs and is experienced.  Let us then never forget this startling truth, but let it burn within us an urgency to our devotion to the will of God!

Using Time to the Fullest

Much of Holy Writ is dedicated to the task of understanding wisdom.  Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the book of Job are all explicitly devoted to the quest for wisdom.  The particulars of wisdom are examined by pitting wisdom against folly.  The onset of the search for wisdom is the fear of God (Pro. 9:10).  Reverence for God is the beginning of wisdom, and should guide every decision in every situation we may face.

Some of the most constant and challenging decisions we face is that of time usage.  Time is limited; there is only so much of it to do all of the things that need to be done.  Everyday, several times a day, we face decisions in how we will choose to devote our time.  As a result, a true test of wisdom is in how well we make use of the time we have been given because our time is so limited.  We should, then, strive to prioritize with wisdom so as to not let the time go along in uselessness.

Paul exhorts believers in Ephesians to live wisely by making the most use of the time, for the days are evil (Eph. 5:15-16).  Truly, this is the case.  For time passes whether we are aware of it or not.  And if we are not paying attention, it will be too late before we realize.  Paul echoes his exhortation in his letter to the Colossians (Col. 4:5), indicating that this is an important teaching and should not be quickly neglected.

Ultimately, godly time management and prioritization is a practice that takes effort, diligence, and discipline.  Often the trappings of the world have such a hook-like pull that distract us from the tasks we have been called to complete.  Think of all the time we've so easily spent online, in front of the television, or just sitting around doing nothing.  In the end, this should not be so.  Let us then press on in faith and obedience to make the best use of the blessed time that God has given us!

Godly Time Management

The most expensive resource any person has is time.  Time is the supreme premium.  It is fleeting and limited.  We only have so much time and, considering that there are certain things like sleeping and eating, how we use our time is of utmost importance.  Because of the extreme significance of this ultimate and expensive resource, we should be conscious of how we use the limited time we have ben blessed with.

There are several relevant passages in this regard, but Paul's words in Ephesians 5:15-16 seem to hit the nail squarely on its head.  It comes down to this simple but sobering assertion: make the best possible use of your time, because the days are evil.  To be sure, time is amoral, but how we use time, what we choose to fill our time with, speaks volumes to our devotion and faith.

Because time is so precious and finite, we should be very aware of what we do and do not do in our limited time allowances.  This needs to be an active undertaking.  If we simply "go with the flow" not only will we not grow to the degree that God desires of us but, and much more importantly, we will not live out a life of ardently loving God, because it necessitates active faith and obedience.  Therefore, let us be sober-minded in our pursuit of godly time management so as to grow more in the likeness of God's Son, Chris Jesus!