Now Is The Hour

NOW IS THE HOUR

(Ephesians 5:15-17)

Compared to eternity, in one sense our lives are almost nothing. But they are everything, because in this short thing called life, I can insert myself into God’s eternal plan – passionately live for Him, use my time and talents to live for others and make an eternal difference.

At this point in time (August 2023) this year is two thirds over? And we could talk about what we did or did not do January through August, but rather than do that, let’s talk about what you are going to do September through December.

And while none of us can predict what will happen in these next three months, if by God’s grace we live and enjoy a reasonable amount of health these next three months, we can choose what will happen with us individually. We can choose:

• To spend more of our time serving others than focusing on self.

• To develop and use our talents to be a blessing to others.

• To be a daily encouragement to others.

• To get serious about our relationship with Christ.

• To live a life of purpose, look back on these three months and be proud of what did.

Or we can, like most in our world do, get up every morning and live for ourselves. Years ago, I saw an illustration of a huge monument containing only two letters – they were M and E, ME, with an individual on his knees, bowing down to that monument. That is our world. It is all about me. Not serving others. Not developing our talents to be a blessing to others. Not making it a daily priority to be an encouragement to others. Not about developing a relationship with our Creator or living a life of purpose, making a difference in the lives of others.

But that is the difference in one who follows Christ, and one who does not. One lives for self. One lives for others. Here is my question: What is going to happen to you, in you, and through you in the next three months? And if you say, “I don’t know.” Here is another question: Why don’t you know? Don’t you have any plans as to what you are going to do, as to what you are going to accomplish, as to what you are going to become? If I counted right, in 113 days 2023 will come to an end – what will be different about you – what difference will you have made – and if you do not know I am going to make a pretty bold statement – if you don’t know, probably very little will be different except you will be 113 days older – isn’t that exciting?

None of us can stop the passing of time. What we can do is choose what we become with the passing of that time. And as this year ends, each one of us will look back with joy or with regret, or with indifference, which is probably the saddest attitude of all. And you can decide right now, which it is going to be.

I want us to hear Paul’s advice in Ephesians 5:15-17:

“Be careful how that you live – not as unwise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

Paul makes three things very clear in three verses: (1) Your time on this earth is limited (2) You need to make the most of every opportunity, and (3) Your priorities must be determined. Let’s put those three thoughts in the context of the last three months of this year and see if we can be

challenged to be a little bit more of what God would have us to be.

Paul wants to make it clear that our time on this earth is limited

The old KJV says “see that you walk circumspectly”…that is not a word we use but it is a good word – it means cautiously, carefully, attentively, deliberately. Most modern translations simply translate it - “Be careful how you live”

As we tried to point out last week, life is short and the Bible makes that clear.

(Psalm 39:4) “Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.”

(Psalm 90:10) “The length of our days is seventy years, or eighty if we have strength, they quickly pass and we fly away.”

(James 4:14) “What is your life, it is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

We all understand that in one sense time is relative:

To a young person who wants summer to come, that school year seems to drag on forever.