VOLUNTARY INERTIA
by R. E. Harlow
A polite name for laziness.
A preacher once referred to the “idle” shepherds of Zechariah 11:17. He confused this word with “idol” but he had a point. Those who desire to be overseers desire a good work. We should pray for laborers. And the night is coming.
There is plenty to do. One’s own family, hospitality to others, teaching the Word, watching over the flock, taking care of the assembly, visitation, praying, counseling, personal Bible study...
All honor to elders who make tents and give sacrificially of their time to God and His people. It is hard not to be cynical about couch potatoes.
Stewardship of time is a prime responsibility of every child of God.
Speaking of time, Einstein may have called it the fourth dimension, but for mortal man it is our only real possession. And it is not limitless.
Every April you lose an hour when Daylight Savings Time becomes effective. Do you miss it? It is a valuable commodity. Of course you will get it back in October, you have only loaned it to society, without interest.
Actually your whole life is on loan from God. We are all living on borrowed time, because we were dead and our life belongs to Him.
Another preacher soliloquized before a meeting, “I don’t know what to preach about tonight.” A little boy in the home suggested, “Ah, preach about a minute.” (Even some adults feel that the most important criterion of any sermon is brevity.) A minute is a very important subject.
Entirely apart from the Second Coming, none of us has more than a few million minutes to go. A quarter century is only about 13 million minutes.
One goddess of the Hindu religion has six arms. Do you every wish you had more hours in a day? You could take courses on the management of time, but the main thing is a heart desire to serve the Lord.
Some Christians give one tenth of their income regularly to the Lord. Jacob promised to do this but we never read that he did so. He did set aside 550 animals to appease his cheated brother.
But in the day of grace, we have been bought with a price, and we give our bodies as a living sacrifice. Should we offer God one tenth of our time, 144 minutes a day? That would allow time for Bible study, prayer, service. But 100% belongs to the Lord.
The missionary can get more mileage from his busy hours if others are praying for blessing. This is true spiritual efficiency. The Lord gives the right words and the problem is solved promptly. But prayer takes time. Let us rob secondary activities and give more time to important priorities. Our opportunity to serve the Lord during His rejection is passing rapidly.
Redeem the time...instant in season, out of season...knowing the time...brethren, the time is short...it is the last time.
R.E. Harlow, Missions magazine, May 1989
