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Redeeming the Time
Time seems to slip away from us so easily, yet we are called upon to focus our energy towards being disciplined and productive with our time - not just in getting things done, but in getting the right things done. We all need reminders about this often, and more than this, practical help and advice as to how to go about the task.
Eph. 4:15-17 tells us, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."
The Scottish preacher Alexander MacLaren (1826–1910) once observed: "No unwelcome tasks become any the less unwelcome by putting them off till tomorrow. It is only when they are behind us and done, that we begin to find that there is a sweetness to be tasted afterwards, and that the remembrance of unwelcome duties unhesitatingly done is welcome and pleasant. Accomplished, they are full of blessing, and there is a smile on their faces as they leave us. Undone, they stand threatening and disturbing our tranquility, and hindering our communion with God. If there be lying before you any bit of work from which you shrink, go straight up to it, and do it at once. The only way to get rid of it is to do it." How true this is.
There is an excellent article by R. C. Sproul regarding time management I would recommend here (found on C. J. Mahaney's blog site). May we all read, mark, learn and inwardly apply.
Comments
Great post topic... I was just reading today in a little book on prayer called "The Still Hour", by a 19th century Congregationalist pastor, Austin Phelps. One of the chapters is a rather convicting piece concerning how little time (and hence how little priority) we give to prayer. How many wasted minutes and hours have we spent (and do we still spend) with trivial matters, and how little do we spend in what is arguably one of the most important means of spending that time, communion with Almighty God in prayer?
Posted by: Todd Pedlar | December 17, 2008 10:03 PM
Communion with God is not a seperate thing from life, life is engagement with God
Posted by: Religious Checks | December 18, 2008 10:47 AM
The reference should be Ephesians 5:15-17, not Ephesians 4:15-17 :-)
Posted by: Anonymous | January 3, 2009 11:31 AM
Thisis good advice. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the llaw which was death. He who died and rose again, commands us to believe and be baptized in his name. We are also commanded to be good stewarts and occupy till he returns back. Whenever the Holy Spirit moves us we must act upon it then, without thought otherwise. God bless us all in his name of Jesus.
Posted by: steve action | September 6, 2009 10:41 PM
This is good advice. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law which was death. He who died and rose again, commands us to believe and be baptized in his name. We are also commanded to be good stewarts and occupy till he returns back. Whenever the Holy Spirit moves us we must act upon it then, without thought otherwise. God bless us all in his name of Jesus.
Posted by: steve action | September 6, 2009 10:42 PM
This is good advice. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law which was death. He who died and rose again, commands us to believe and be baptized in his name. We are also commanded to be good stewarts and occupy till he returns back. Whenever the Holy Spirit moves us we must act upon it then, without thought otherwise. God bless us all in his name of Jesus.
Posted by: steve action | September 6, 2009 10:42 PM
If you read the hundreds of comments and commentaries in regard to this verse containing the phrase "redeem the time" please note that nearly all do not take into account the context. Paul here as in Colossians 4:5 makes the point of these Christians manifesting Christ in cultures that have never heard of Christ, in cultures that are full of evil: idolatry, wickedness, etc. To redeem the time means to be deliberate in regard to exposing evil through the proclamation of the Christ.
Commentaries are saturated with such myopic interpretations. Personal/self centered time management? Really? That's what the apostle was trying to communicate?
Posted by: Ty Nicol | January 3, 2010 01:57 AM