USE YOUR TIME WISELY
"It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem." 2 Samuel 11:1.
At the time kings went to battle, David stayed behind at Jerusalem. At the time other kings were in the battlefield, David was in bed. The brave king of Israel was idle. David had too much time on his hands. At the time he should have been at war with his army—he fell into sin with Bathsheba. He was in the wrong place and doing the wrong things! David lusted after another man's wife and was so consumed by his lust that he did not consider the consequences. He impregnated Bathsheba and proceeded to kill her husband. King David's idleness resulted into lust, adultery and death. In other not to fall into the errors of David, we should always be busy. Spend your time wisely. Spend your spare time being active. Get involved with productive things. "He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. 5 He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame." Proverbs 10:4-5.
“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” Psalm 90:12.
We all have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 1,440 minutes and 86,400 seconds. We weren’t given this gift of life to just sit around. We are to maximize the moment, even in the time of a global lock-down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. 5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah" Psalm 39:4-5.
Our days on earth are numbered! Only God knows the number of the days of our lives. Only He determines when we are born and how long we live in this world. So we must not waste any moment of it. Time is a precious gift! We must use it wisely. We must determine in mind what is worth spending time on and what we should avoid by all means. This gift of time will eventually run out someday. So we must focus on what we can do daily and not what we can’t do.
"redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:16.
The word “redeeming” means “to buy up, ransom, or rescue from loss.” To redeem the time is to make the most of it. It is to be careful in how we live. To redeem the time is to apply wisdom. It is becoming conscious of the fact that we may not have another day. To redeem the time is to make the most of every opportunity. It is to live daily in the knowledge and presence of God. We should start the day by committing our day to the Lord and asking Him to help us. To redeem the time is to properly prioritize and doing what is really important. It is to live as God would have us. We can redeem the time through careful planning of every second of the day. We can control our schedules so that our time is efficiently spent and we can ultimately reach our goals and fulfill our destinies. When you lose focus, you lose time! So invest your time wisely.
"33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; 34 So shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man." Proverbs 24:33-34.
Seize the moment. You may not be able to change what happened yesterday but you can plan today to change your tomorrow. You can do something today that will greatly affect your tomorrow. You can make the most of your time.
THE VALUE OF TIME:
"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:" Ecclesiastes 3:1.
There's a common saying that “Time and Tide waits for none”. This is indeed true. Time waits for no one! It comes and goes. So, we should never waste precious time without purpose and meaning. Since the beginning of time, God has determined there would be seasons. Each moment, season, and time is our opportunity and responsibility. Every day is an opportunity for us to live a productive life! Today is an opportunity to redefine our priorities, purpose and vision. Today is an opportunity to re-establish profitable goals. It is an opportunity to bury the past and move into a new future. There are blessings and opportunities attached to every season we spend on earth. We should value the importance of time.
1. Start right with God.
"O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. 2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory." Psalm 63:1-2. The first thing we should do when we awake is to thank God. See each day as a gift. See it as an opportunity God has given you to serve Him. Time spent with God is never wasted. Whenever you spend time in God's presence, it’s always refreshing, valuable, and revealing. Turn off your phones, computer, or anything that distracts. Read His Word with more intensity. Seek to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit. And trust Him, for today, and the future. Rejoice in the Lord! As the joy of the Lord gives you strength, you’ll be able to face any problems you have to deal with.
2. Review the previous day.
Compare what you did yesterday with what you intended to do today. Ask yourself: Did I make good use of my time? Did I procrastinate? Did I engage in activities that truly were important? If you recognize that you've made mistakes, repent and ask the Lord's forgiveness. Then ask for His help to do better the next day. Ask God to help you make the right decisions in the new day. Make adjustments, learn from the past, and begin the next day afresh with hope, enthusiasm and courage.
3. Spend time in the Word of God.
4. Pray. Prayer is never a waste of time. Take time each day to pray. Seek divine wisdom. Discern what’s important.
5. Get organized.
Time and priorities go hand in hand. Priorities represent the things that we give our time and attention to.
6. Trust God for each day as it comes.
"6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7.
7. Work on your goals or projects. Use the time at your disposal to do it. Take time to review, refocus, and reset.
8. Don’t procrastinate.
Procrastination is putting off doing something, especially out of carelessness or laziness. It wastes opportunities. Procrastination misuse today. It robs us of the fruitfulness that God intends for us. Isn't it time to stop making excuses?
9. Read books. Now is a right time.
10. Add value to someone's life. Keep in touch
11. Spend quality time with your family. Switch off your phones and communicate; spend less time on social media.
12. Take time to rest.
13. Forget the past, live in the present and pursue the future.
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19. You can’t live in the past. You can’t live in the future. You can only live in the moment. When you let go, God opens your eyes to see new opportunities. "This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24. Forget about the uncertainty of tomorrow because we serve God who knows our tomorrows.
"And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:17.
Today's a gift! It is a gift from God and an opportunity to invest in that which will last forever. Our time on earth is short and limited. "What is your life? It is like a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." James 4:14. It will end someday. A day is coming when we shall stand before the Almighty and give a report of our time on earth. Romans 14:12. So where will you go when this life is over? You'll have to determine in this life as to where you'll spend eternity. The way you live right now impacts your eternity. So we need to use our time wisely! As you live daily, invest in your eternal future. Be wise! You cannot afford to miss Heaven. And if you're not yet prepared, what are you waiting for?
If you want to begin a relationship with God, simply say this prayer from your heart: “Lord God, I come to You today. I know I’m a sinner and I cannot save myself. I acknowledge that I am a sinner who needs Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the Cross to save me and He resurrected on the third day. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and surrender my life to Him today. I invite Jesus into my heart today. By this prayer, I know I’m saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Father, thank You for my life! Help me to live with wisdom and understanding in a way that honors You, in Jesus name.
2. O Lord, forgive me for the times I have wasted instead of redeeming it, in Jesus name.
3. Father, give me wisdom to number my days, in Jesus name.
4. Lord, help me to use my time wisely, in Jesus name.
5. Thank God for answering your prayers.
