“Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.” Psalm 90:12 Contemporary English Version
“It is tragic to ignore a future for which you must prepare.”
My thoughts today ask, “wise or wasteful?”
This weekend, our country changes to Daylight Savings Time, turning clocks forward – seeming to lose one hour. That leads me to think of today’s verse: “use wisely all the time you have.” Time is something you may not think much about until you don’t have enough of it. What are you given that is any more valuable? The busiest person with the most to do and the idle person who wants little or nothing to do both have the same number of hours in a day to “git ‘er done.”
Time is far too valuable to misuse by wasting it. Once wasted, instead of being useful and valuable, that time is now gone, worth nothing – nothing produced, nothing accomplished, and nothing left to show for the time spent. Right now is the most important time given you – not yesterday, not tomorrow, right now – don’t waste a minute of it.
Now, don’t confuse deliberate moments with wastefulness. Time is well spent in rest and simple reflection or wisely taken for planning and preparation that results in more efficiency and greater effectiveness. Luke 14:28-30. Time is profitably given to be a friend to someone, to hear their story, to lend a helping hand. Such time is never wasted; it is invested.
But how do you know if you are using time wisely or wasting time needlessly? Jesus told marvelous stories that were true to life, and taught practical life-lessons. Learn them well; it’s time wisely spent.
You waste time living only for the moment without valuing what lasts and endures. Jesus told of two men who built houses. One took time to choose wisely where and how to build. He planned a house that would last. The other built more quickly, but foolishly, but his house ultimately collapsed. Matthew 7. 24-27. Jesus’ point is this: take time to wisely build a life that matters and lasts, or you foolishly waste time building your life on stuff that of little or no value. 1 Corinthians 3:10-13 NIV.
You waste time for pleasure or profit here and now without recognizing what is truly valuable and eternal. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven . . “ Matthew 6:19-21.
You waste time ignoring a future for which you must prepare. A successful farmer built bigger barns for his growing wealth. He looked into his future, but not far enough.He foolishly reasoned, “I have much stored up for many years. Take it easy. Enjoy yourself, “ not knowing his life would end that night. With no time left, he would stand before God. “It is appointed unto man to die once, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27 NKJV. He presumed he had more time than he did; a lot of people make that tragic mistake.
You waste time living to please yourself and others while failing to please God. Nothing is of greater reward than pleasing God? “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord.” Colossians 3:23. That sounds like time well spent.
My prayer for you today is that you will use your time wisely, and profit eternally.