Redeeming the Time

Although time is of inestimable value, we usually fail to appreciate this fact until it is too late for us to profit by it. Sometimes we try to while away the hours, because they drag wearily along; yet the day will come when we would give anything to recall these wasted seasons and to have the opportunity to fill up the space that we now fail to use to advantage. We should endeavour to redeem the time that is at present within our grasp, before it is gone beyond our reach. Our days are too few to allow us to trifle with them without injurious consequence. Let us be wise today, and not defer until tomorrow, for this fatal precedent will persistently urge till it robs us of every opportunity.

How true are the poet's words, "All men think all men mortal but themselves." It is strange that the passing of so many generations has failed to banish from the minds of men the delusion that life's brief show is something substantial and eternal. They see that the wise and foolish alike die and leave their wealth to others, yet as the Psalmist says, ''Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever. This their way is their folly, yet their posterity approve their sayings." Let us not be deceived by this illusion, for the evidence is everywhere around us that each generation passes quickly away, and the memory of it vanishes.

Every day of our life belongs to God, and we should consecrate each one freely and entirely to His love and service. This does not mean that we should cram every moment with some form of outward activity, however, for there are other things that are nearer to the heart of God: patience, submission, and devotion are in themselves offerings more pleasing to Him. We can turn time to really great profit by bearing contradiction, disappointment, and irritation in the spirit of meekness and longsuffering. Though we have meant well and others have misjudged us, we can gain a mighty victory by being magnanimous. When we have stood aside and let the pushful gain the day, we have not been defeated, for the greater will be our future reward. Time which we are trying to use profitably is not lost, when we suffer with gentleness and forbearance an unwelcome and inevitable intrusion. Indeed these are among the most effective ways of turning time to good account, of improving our every opportunity, and of gaining the greatest advantage from our experiences.

We can at all times show our love and obedience to God by our attitude towards others under trying circumstances, thus offering to Him a much more acceptable sacrifice than attempting to accomplish some great thing. This also will aid our growth in grace far more than any outward activity could do. By regulating our habits, avoiding the pursuit of worldly treasures, amusements, and friendships, we shall not allow time to he exacted from us that should be employed for God. Otherwise we create for ourselves many difficult situations that must necessarily arise as a result of placing others in a position to severely test our loyalty to the things of God.

Do we realize what a vast amount of thought-time we waste when we are alone? We may be strolling along, allowing our uncontrolled thoughts to be directed by the things we see around us, first into one channel and then another. Finally, we suddenly awake to the fact that we have not turned our thoughts to God once during the past hour, in spite of the wonderful opportunity that has been afforded us. We probably could not recall where our thoughts have been, but if we could, we would have to admit that they were not of any value.

There are endless occasions when we just let our thoughts wander aimlessly, instead of directing them into profitable channels. We may be doing something that requires no concentration of mind, or there are intervals during the day when we are entirely free to think as we will. We may lie awake at night: we may he waiting for somebody or something; we may he travelling somewhere; and there is nothing else we can do but think. How much of this valuable time do we redeem? We look back at the end of every day with shame, as we realize the opportunities for devotional worship that we have allowed to slip past us unheeded in our leisure periods.

Even in our conversation and contact with others, there are odd moments in which we can lift our hearts to God, that we may speak and act aright. These are the moments that to him are most precious, and on our part are most effectively redeemed. For to know God and to have Christ formed in us, is the great objective of our calling. We have but a short time to look forward in hope, for the troubled dreams at night will soon be gone, and the shadows melt away before that glorious Millennial dawn when Jesus comes to claim His own. Then with unveiled vision we shall look back along the rough and painful path we have trodden and from the radiant heights where we have found our rest at last, we shall praise the love of God in Christ, which inspired our hearts to know and love the will of the Lord and to redeem the time while the days were evil.