Redeeming the Time
Something strange happened this week when I stepped outside early in the morning. There was a chill in the air. For a moment, I stood still, thinking, What is this crisp feeling? Where is the blanket of humidity? Upon realizing it was October, a rush of thoughts flooded my mind: Wait a minute —it’s already October! How did this happen? How is it already fall? Years ago, when I was in my early twenties, a deacon at church once told me, “Right now, you’re young and just on roller skates, but I’m in my seventies—and I’m on a rocket ship!” At the time, I didn’t think much of it, but the older I get, the more profound his statement becomes. A five-year-old views a year as an eternity because it represents a fifth of his life, and he is not yet burdened by the responsibilities of work or the constant pressures of society.
As one matures with age, so does his perception of time. When he was young, he might have said, “I’m bored! This is taking too long. Are we there yet?” But as he grows older, those words shift to, “That was fast! I don’t have enough time! Where did the day go?” There are two grand truths one should grasp early in life: first, time is fleeting; and second, we are not promised tomorrow. Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–16, ESV). With the time we’ve been given on earth, we are called to make the most of it. Our goal should be to not squander a second.
Of course, the only way a person can truly “make the best use” of time is by first receiving the life and light of Jesus Christ. Without this kind of faith, it is not only impossible to please God, it is also impossible to redeem the time. Sadly, a Christian can easily fall into the snare of over-activity and spiritual performance without actually growing in faith and making an impact for the heavenly kingdom. In another passage, Paul wrote, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6–7 ESV). It is not enough just to believe in Jesus to save our souls from hell. We are to trust Him with our sanctification as we, in faith, seek to grow closer to Him each day. We must learn that the way to “make the most” of our time is to know Jesus and to make Him known.
