“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16, NKJV)
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“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16, NKJV)
You might remember the words of Ebenezer Scrooge. As the third specter, the ghost of Christmas future appeared before him, Scrooge declared that he feared him more than any specter he had seen. Scrooge had become deeply anxious as to his future, for he knew it to be one of divine judgement due to the selfish and greedy life he had lived. And time was now more precious to him than ever before. If only we could live with an ever-present awareness of the preciousness and seriousness of time. Four suggestions will help us to redeem the passing, precious time God has given us. First, we should rethink how we spend time. We should become aware how much time is spent thinking about ourselves and planning for ourselves and doing for ourselves. Sherlock Holmes once asked Dr. Watson if he ever thought about anything else but his stomach. Watson replied, “No, not very often.” Second, we should reset our minds on God by meditating upon His Word. The prophet Hosea quoted God as declaring to His people, “I have written the great things of My law, but they are considered a strange thing.” (Hosea 8:12, NKJV) Christians who neglect God’s Word are easy prey for the devil. Pastor Edwards has declared that “surely the Holy Scriptures were written to be read.” Third, we must return to the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is all but lost today as evidenced by the goofiness and gimmickry widespread in the church. One pastor promised to eat a live goldfish in the pulpit if the attendance reached some magic number. One last suggestion to help us redeem the time: No one says it better than Pastor Jonathan Edwards: “Death tarries for no man, but comes when and to whom he is sent, and strikes the deadly blow, whether the man be prepared or not. When men are young they depend on living to be middle-aged, and when middle-aged they depend on old-age, and always put far away the day of death.” But our day of death approaches nearer and nearer each moment whether we consider this or not. If we do, we will redeem the precious time we have left.