Do We Waste Time?
However, in another sense, we don't all have the same amount of time. Some lives are long, others are cut short. No one knows how many days he will have, thus the importance of using each one wisely. There may not be any "tomorrow."
Henry Twells (1823-1900) wrote:
When as a child I laughed and wept,
Time crept.
When as a youth I waxed more bold,
Time strolled.
When I became a full grown man,
Time RAN.
When older still I daily grew,
Time FLEW.
Soon I shall find, in passing on,
Time gone.
David wrote: "My times are in thy hand" (Psa. 31:15). God certainly gives each of us time. What we do with it is our responsibility.
We all have 168 hours every week. What we do with them is our choice. We use expressions that indicate our awareness of this resource. Spend time. Make time. Lose time. Save time. Waste time. Borrow time. Run out of time. Give time. Take too much time.
Christians above all other people should be careful about how they use time. Scripture says that we should number our days and be wise (Psa. 90:12). We are warned not to use up time like fools do, but to redeem it. To do this we need to understand the Lord's will and do it, which includes how we use time.
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17
The New Testament translates "time" from three words. One is kairos which generally denotes a measure, period, season or age. For example, "redeeming the time" (Eph. 5:16) is kairos.
The other is chronos which a space of time. We get our words "synchronos", "chronometer" and "chronology" from it. Galatians 4:4 mentions "the fulness of time" (chronos). The writer of Hebrews says that time (chronos) would fail him to speak of all those who lived by faith (Heb. 11:32). Peter writes, "Pass the time (chronos) of your sojourning here in fear" (1 Pet. 1:17).
The third is "hora", which according to Vine is "any time or period fixed by nature", a moment, day or short season. Romans 13:11 uses first kairos and then this word."Knowing the time (kairos), that now it is high time (hora) to awake out of sleep."
But let's not get lost in technicalities. By any definition, time is a supremely important stewardship. We don't own it. It's given to us to use for God's will and glory. One day we will give account before God of what we did with His gift of time. C. T. Studd wrote: "Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last." The brethren of years past used to advise us to "Live with eternity's values in view." Unfortunately, today many live for "the moment" with little regard for the eternal consequences of their use or abuse of time.
Many Christians complain that they don't have time to read and study the Bible, or read good Christian books, or pray more. "I wish I had more time," they say. One way to "get more time" is to reorganize our priorities and take inventory of how we are actually using time. Some would be surprised to find out how much time they spend on things of little importance.
Think of activities and pursuits in terms of their cost in time. How much time do we use eating, drinking and sleeping? How much time do we spend at work? These are all necessary and proper, but should be controlled.
How much time does it cost to get a university degree? How much time does it take to learn a language, or to play a musical instrument? How much time do games and hobbies and sports take? And if one desires to excel in a sport, or music, many are the hours dedicated to that. Bodily exercise is of some value (1 Tim. 4:8), but it is better to exercise ourselves unto godliness (1 Tim. 4:7).
How much time can we afford to spend reading novels, watching television or navigating the internet and chatting on social media? How much time do we spend on our phones? And at the risk of alienating the young, do we really have time for computer gaming?
We could ask ourselves many similar questions, and probably should. Since our lives are not our own (1 Cor. 6:19-20), we ought to consult the Lord about our use of time. After all, He gives it to us for a reason!
During the pandemic the "no time" excuse has been removed. Yet many it seems waste their "extra time" on social media and still don't read, study or pray as they should. One wonders if after the pandemic is over anyone will be able to legitimately say he hasn't had time to read the whole Bible or study it.
This is not the same as listening to meetings on ZOOM, however good and helpful they may be, and certainly some are. Not to disparage any such helpful ministry. Yet could some be spending so much time preparing for frequent ZOOM meetings, or "attending" so many of these meetings, that they have little time left for personal reading, meditation, study and prayer.
Even Satan had to give account to God of his activities (Job 1:7; 2:2). What if one day, at the Judgment Seat, the Lord asks what we each did with all the extra time given us during the pandemic?
The days are evil. Soon the heavenly decree will sound out, and time (chronos) will be no more (Rev. 10:6).
God gives everyone time, but it is up to each of us to redeem it!
