The Gift of Time: How Do You Spend It?
From Ephesians 5…“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God…Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.”
What would you do if you were suddenly told your bank accounted would be credited each and each day with $86,400? At the end of the day, what you didn’t use would be lost, not to be regained. Take a moment to think of it, if you will.
Now, I’m a frugal Lutheran teacher with a thrifty heritage so I know I have some ideas right away! Do you have a thought? Regardless of how our thoughts may differ, I have no doubt we would use every bit of that money before it disappeared. It’s an exciting and intriguing thought.
Yet what would you say if I said that gift has already been given to us? Every day, we are given 86,400 seconds to use. The moments we don’t use today will not be regained tomorrow. We are given today and promised no more. Each day that the sun rises again is a gift of God because His Son rose again to give us the gift of life. It would be nice to store up those quiet moments from our morning devotions and the encouraging memories from church earlier to use on that next frustrating day. Yet, it doesn’t work that way. We have to cherish each moment for the moment that it is.
If your days are anything like mine, and I trust I am not alone, then we are continually going from the moment we awaken to the moment we fall asleep. Our days are filled with places to go and people to see…even if that place is the same school or the same church or the same office or the same home. We have plans to make, lists to check off, lessons to teach, meetings to attend, a home to manage and children for whom to care.
Here is my confession. I – we – somehow seem to think that the words ‘serve’ and ‘busy’ are synonymous. We think we cannot serve – are not serving – if we are quiet but truly, how much better we can serve if we are still!
One of my favorite passages, Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” It is a challenge to be still yet that is what God is asking of us. He asks us to be still to truly know Him, to truly know His grace and care. Be still and rejoice in your place in the family of God. Be still and celebrate that you are forgiven and free. Be still and cling to the hands of our Heavenly Father.
May you put aside the temptation to be busy and learn to be still as you truly seek the Lord. May you be thankful for each and every moment we are given. May you rejoice for all the gifts God has daily given you!