A Fresh Start!
Back in the 1960’s experts predicted that by the turn of the century technology would have taken over so much of the work we do that the average American work week would be only 22 hours long, & that we would work only 27 weeks a year. As a result, one of our biggest problems would be in deciding what to do with all our leisure time.
Well, I don’t know about you, but that prediction certainly missed the mark as far as my life was concerned!
In fact, most of us seem to be very busy. We’re always in a hurry. We walk fast, & talk fast, & eat fast. And after we eat, all too often, we stand up & say, "Excuse me. I’ve gotta run."
So here we are, on the last Sunday of 2014, facing a new year. I wonder how we’ll do this year? Will we be as busy? Will we make any better use of our time? 365 days from Thursday, when 2015 is over, will we be looking back with joy, or with regret? Will we be looking at the future with anticipation, or with dread?
There are numerous surveys, studies, and statistics on how people use their time. Here is one:
Work-related 8.7 3175.5
Sleeping 7.7 2810.5
Leisure/sports 2.5 912.5
Caring for others 1.3 474.5
Household Activities 1.1 401.5
Eating & Drinking 1 365
Other 1.7 620.5
24 8760
[http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/]
There is a passage of Scripture that I believe can be of help to us as we look forward to the coming year if we’ll listen to it. The passage is Ephesians 5:15-17 15 Be very careful, then, how you live-- not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
Let’s take a look at some thoughts from these verses and see what the Lord would say to us about how we approach the coming year.
I. OUR TIME ON THIS EARTH IS LIMITED
The Psalmist wrote, "Show me, O Lord, my life’s end & the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life" (39:4). And again, "The length of our days is 70 years or 80, if we have the strength...they quickly pass, & we fly away" (90:10).
Now, I realize that for some of the younger folk, 70 or 80 years sounds like a long, long time. In fact, I can remember when I thought anyone over 40 was ancient. But no longer. It is all rather relative, isn’t it?
The Psalmist also tells us to number our days so that we will develop a heart of wisdom.
ILL. A few years ago People Magazine published an article entitled "Dead Ahead" telling about a new clock that keeps track of how much time you have left to live. It calculates an average life span of 75 years for men & 80 years for women. So you program your gender & age into the clock, & from then on it will tell you how much time you have left. I guess it sold for $99.95.
I didn’t buy one. But it is an interesting idea. Isn’t that what the Psalmist told us to do to number our days?
Based on the average male lifespan, I might have nearly 10,000 days of life left on this earth. However, we have no guarantee of even one day more to live.
In fact the Bible tells us not to count on tomorrow because tomorrow may not come for you or for me. All we have is right now. So our time on this earth is valuable because it is very limited.
II. MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY
Paul tells us that we must make "the most of every opportunity." And he gives a reason, "because the days are evil."
Jesus said that Satan is a robber & a thief, & one of the things he tries to rob from us is our time because time is a very precious possession.
Just think of the time wasted in sinning. Think of the time wasted in bars or in gambling casinos or in shallow affairs. Think of the time wasted in gossiping or spreading rumors. Or think about all the time wasted worrying about the consequences of the sins we have committed. Satan is a thief & a robber!
But it is not just sin that makes demands on our time. Sometimes even good things can make demands.
ILL. Jesus went to the home of Mary & Martha & Lazarus. He sat down to teach, & Mary was sitting at His feet just soaking in every word. Meanwhile, Martha was out in the kitchen preparing dinner.
Maybe you know the story. It is found in Luke 10:38-42.
. Martha gets upset because Mary is not in the kitchen, too. So she complains to Jesus, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
"Martha, Martha," Jesus answered, "You are worried & upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, & it will not be taken away from her"
Now Martha was not doing anything wrong by fixing a meal in the kitchen. But here’s the problem. She was so preoccupied with what she was doing that she didn’t realize that God was in her living room.
APPL. That’s the same mistake you & I make almost every day. We get so caught up in the here & now that we fail to deal with the eternal, the things that will last forever & ever.
ILL. Richard Swenson, a medical doctor, wrote a book in which he discusses one of the major maladies of our time anxiety & stress. He calls it "overload," & says that people are just plain overloaded.
1. We’re overloaded with commitments. We’ve committed ourselves to go here & there, to take part in this activity & that social function. As a result we soon begin meeting ourselves coming & going because we have overloaded ourselves in the area of commitments.
2. We’re also overloaded with possessions, he says. Our closets are full, & our garages are overflowing. We’ve gone into debt to pay for all of these things that we "simply must have." And now we’re so afraid that someone will steal them. We are overloaded in the area of possessions.
3. Thirdly, we have an overload in the area of work. We get up early, fight traffic, & experience intolerable working conditions because we have to if we’re going to pay for all those possessions that we’ve accumulated.
4. There is also an information overload. He said that as a doctor he has to read 220 articles a month just to keep up with all the changes in his profession. And now with the internet there’s an information superhighway. But the problem is that we can’t possibly absorb it all. So we feel an overload in this area, too.
-There are so many demands on our time, so many good things that need to be done. But there are just 8,760 hours in a year. We do want to make the most of every opportunity, so what are we to do?
III. UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LORD’S WILL IS
Paul tells us, "...do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is."
Now what do you think God’s will is for you in this new year? Do you think He wants your mind so saturated with worries & anxieties that you can’t think spiritual thoughts? Do you think He wants your calendar so crowded that you don’t have time for the important things? What do you think God’s will is for you this year?
-Let me make a couple of suggestions for you to consider. First of all, establish your priorities.
1. I’m assuming that since you’re in church this morning that you believe God should be a part of your life. But when you begin to establish priorities, you have to decide just where He stands in your life. So ask yourself, "Who or what is most important in my life?"
And I’m hoping that your answer will be, "My relationship with the Lord is most important to me." If so, then put that at the top of your list of priorities, & say, "This will affect my decisions, my scheduling, my relationship with others, & my whole outlook on life."
God comes first in my life. I’ll worship the Lord & nothing will interfere with that.
2. You also need to schedule some definite time each day to pray & to read His Word, and worship Him. Pray for yourself & for your family & for people around you. Pray for the church, & for the missionaries. Sometimes they feel so alone & so far away. You’ll never know how much your prayers will mean to them. But you’ll be blessed as you grow in your faith & trust in the Lord!
3. You must also spend time with your family. Spend time with your spouseyou’re your children. They’re growing up ever so fast. These are precious moments. Don’t let them get away. Make sure that you spend quality time with your children. Make sure that your family is very high on the list.
4. Now many of us have to work. And I think Christians ought to be good workers. When someone hires a Christian they ought to know they’re getting someone who will give them an honest days work, & not cheat them. Because we’re Christians we have a responsibility to the Lord to honor Him even in the marketplace.
So first of all, establish your priorities.
And then, learn how to live today. The two greatest enemies of time are regrets for things we did in the past, & anxiety about what will happen to us in the future. Many of us are living either in the past or in the future.
In fact, many of us are engaged in the little game of, "I wish it were." "I wish it were next week," or "I wish it were next month," or some such thing. Kids go to school & say, "Boy, I wish this day were over."
ILL. Gary Freeman tells about a girl who went to college & just hated it. But she told herself, "If I can ever get out of college & get married & have children, I know I’ll finally be able to enjoy life."
So she stuck with it. She went to classes every day & finally graduated from college. Then she got married & had children, & discovered that children are a lot of work. So she told herself, "If I can just get these kids raised, then I’ll be able to relax & really enjoy life."
But about the time the kids were entering high school her husband said, "Guess what? We don’t have enough money to send our kids to college. I guess you’ll have to get a job."
Well, she didn’t want to, but she knew he was right & they needed the money, so she went to work. And she hated it. But she told herself, "If I can just get these kids out of college, & get all of the bills paid, then I can quit work & really enjoy life."
Finally, the last child graduated from college, & all the bills were paid. So she walked into her employer’s office & said, "I quit." He said, "Oh, you don’t want to quit now. If you stay with us just another 8 years you’ll have a pension for the rest of your life."
She thought, "Well, I don’t want to work another 8 years, but there’s all that money there, & I really can’t turn down the opportunity." So she worked for another 8 years. Finally, she & her husband retired at the same time. They sold their home & bought a little retirement cottage.
Then they sat down on the swing on their front porch & looked at the family picture album & dreamed about the good old days.
ILL. Someone said, "Life is what happens to you while you’re making plans to do something else."
True, isn’t it? Another year has come & gone. A new year stretches before us. Help us Lord, to redeem the time. So have a happy new year!
And during the New Year may you have:
enough happiness to keep you sweet - enough trials to keep you strong,
enough sorrow to keep you human - enough hope to keep you happy,
enough failure to keep you humble - enough success to keep you eager,
enough friends to give you comfort - enough wealth to meet your needs,
enough enthusiasm to make you look forward to tomorrow,
& enough determination to make each day better than the day before.
Lord, please help us to use the 8,760 hours of this year the wisest way we can for you, & for your glory.
Close: People set all kinds of goals and resolutions for the new year (weight loss, health, trips, vacations, financial planning, and so on. But what about the things that last forever? Do you have a plan for your spiritual growth in the coming year? Have you considered what it might take in order for you to grow stronger in your faith and closer to the Lord in 2015?
I believe the Lord may have spoken some things to you today that He wants to help you implement in your life. If you will say YES to Him, I believe this could be the best year of spiritual growth you’ve had this far. Please stop or slow down long enough to think and pray on these things. God will help you become more intentional about knowing and serving Him!
Some thoughts and ideas adapted from MELVIN M. NEWLAND, sermoncentral.com
