I imagine at some point we’ve all used the phrase “Well, it’s about time!” Perhaps you simply had the thought rather than verbalized those words.
Either way, it’s quite natural to want those anticipated results sooner rather than later. Patience is not one of our worldly traits. We want things now! Instant gratification fits our 21st-century microwave mentality.
With that in mind, I guess this can be a timely discussion.
Time has no favorites. We’re all faced with 24 hours each day. As we age, it does seem to pass us by faster, but in reality it remains the same from one day to the next.
Our solar system has us on a set schedule and even though the length of daylight may vary drastically during the seasons, we still have the same amount of time each day of our lives. How we handle that time varies greatly.
In our business lives there never seems to be enough time to complete all we want to accomplish. So, some of us simply allocate more time to work at the expense of our families and loved ones. Some of us fritter away time in watching too much television or perhaps playing video games.
Generally, we seldom find time for others and spend most of it on our self-interests.
Time is an extremely precious commodity. Once it passes it cannot be reclaimed. Let’s take a close look at what God’s Word says about this precious treasure.
In Psalm 39:4-5, King David proclaims “Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.”
In Psalm 90:12, the psalmist provides good counsel: “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
And, in Isaiah 55:6-8, the prophet advises “Seek the Lord while he may be found: call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.”
In John 9:4-5, Jesus tells us “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
And Paul confides in Romans 13:11-12, “And do this understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
I hope you find this message timely and in time for you to truly take a hard look at your life and how you are using each moment. Are you using it wisely as a precious commodity or simply letting it evaporate? It’s not too late to take control of whatever time you have left. I’m certain God will be pleased with your diligence and your effort this day forward!
In ending this discussion, let me share a quote from Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Bobby Layne: “I’ve never lost a game in my life. Once in a while, time would run out on me.”
Don’t let time run out before doing what you know is the right thing to do.
Passages to Ponder
— Jim Langley has been writing for more than 30 years while working as a life and health insurance agent in Santa Barbara. In recent years, his passion has turned to writing about his personal relationship with God, and his goal is to encourage others to draw near to Him as well. As a longtime member of CBMC of Santa Barbara (Christian Business Men’s Connection), he started writing Fourth Quarter Strategies columns in 2014, and he now reaches an international audience through the CBMC International devotional Monday Manna. Click here for previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.