We each have been given the same amount of time in our daily lives. How we spend most of this time is our choice as adults. A portion will be spent in sleep, so that we can remain healthy; another portion will probably be spent working during our adult lives, so that we can support ourselves and our families. Our Lord has blessed each of us with an allotment of time. How do you suppose that He expects us to spend this time ? In Psalm 118:24, the writer reminds us that ‘This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it’. Each day, whatever it brings, should bring joy to us ! In Joshua 1:8 we read that we should ‘meditate on the book of Law day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it’. Time spent reading and meditating on the Word of God is a thing that a child of God should do!
In James 1:22 and following, we read that we should ‘be doers of the Word, not hearers only’…. This is reminding us to not only meditate on the Word, but to use the gifts that we have received, see 1 Cor. 7:7 and all of chapter 12. There are so many things in God’s Kingdom that need doing. We each have a responsibility to ‘work’, not because it will get us that ultimate reward, but because Jesus died for our sins, and through the grace of God, we will have that reward. God expects His children to behave in a ‘righteous’ way, using our time in the most effective way possible. While we are reminded of the sins that we should not commit (sins of commission), the other type of sin (sins of omission) are those things in our lives, that go without our attention, probably something that doesn’t get done, that God would want to have done.
God has given us the choice to manage our time the best way that we can.
We could be people who pray before our meals, attend the Sunday services, then go about our weekly business, not paying much attention to how God expects us to use our time. Or, we could be (and should be) people who appreciate each day that God gives us, spending time in His Word, communing with Him in prayer, regularly, and paying attention to those opportunities before us, to do the will of God, the best way that we can.
How will you spend the rest of the time that God gives you?
Brad Shaw
