Redeeming The Time You Have Left

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” —James 4:13-15

I have a theory .. well several actually .. but this one in particular has to do with our perception of the time we walk this earth.  Let’s call it the rule of proportionality.  When you are young, time seems to drag by – especially when you are sitting in a classroom wanting to be in another place. I think that is because the proportion of years remaining in your life is greater than the number of years that you have lived. But there is a tipping point in our lives when the number of years we have remaining on this planet are less than the number of years we have lived.  Time seems to fly by – I know Martie and I ask more frequently, “Where did the time go?” Actually time doesn’t change – it moves on nanosecond by nanosecond – minute by minute – hour by hour – well you get the idea!

The question is not how much time do I have left, but “How am I using the time that I have left?”

“ … it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment ..” – Hebrews 9:27

God has not told us “how” nor “when” nor “where”, just that everyone will die – life is like a vapor – have you ever seen steam rising from a pot on the stove? Of course you have. It rises and then vanishes. That would be us.

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” – Ephesians 5:16-17

Redeem the time that you have left in this life. Don’t left any “I love you’s” be left unsaid.  Don’t be content with regrets. Live your life with the perspective that you Are a child of God living with a divine purpose. I am fully aware that the proportion of life left to life lived is smaller than it has ever been.  I cannot waste the life I have left on wood, hay and stubble that will be burned in the refiners fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12-16)  I want to make the years I have remaining eternally consequential. That is what walking circumspectly means.  That means that I must be intentional about I live every day – ever nano-second. 

I am writing this to challenge you to consider how you are living your life and, as a child of God, what your priorities are as compared to what they should be.  What adjustments do you need to make? That is the question that all of us must answer. The answer is found as we seek God and choose Him over the world.  I was listening to someone share a pray request that was essentially wrapped around financial security in his retirement.  Not would he have food and shelter, but would he have the financial security to enjoy the things of this world.  I was reminded of the Janice Joplin song that includes the verse – “Oh, Lord won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz. Oh Lord won’t you buy me a color (today read 72 inch flat screen) TV.” What do you want from God and what do you want from life. What do you think that God wants for you for the rest of your days? It’s this –

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” – Micah 6:8

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone