Outside of salvation, time may very well be our most precious commodity. Yet as valuable as it is, we tend to waste a large part of it. James writes that our time here on earth is very short,

“yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14

Once your time on earth is gone, you can’t get any more.

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Hebrews 9:27

As I look back over my life, it frustrates me when I think about all the times I either used foolishly or failed to use wisely. I can’t go back and redo any of it.

Time carries with it an expiration date. Yesterday is gone, this morning is gone and even the time before you started to read this blog is gone.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” 

So, if I may make a play on words, “what matters under heaven?”  Well, speaking of playing on words, the “Preacher”, the author of the book of Ecclesiastes, writes this as the last words of the book.

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

So as believers what matters is that we look to spend our time on things that matter to God. The time we spend with him in prayer, the time we spend in his word, the time that we spend service for others. How does that time match up with the time we spend on things that don’t matter?

Do you spend your time bellyaching and complaining? Do you spend your time making those around you miserable? Do you spend your time in fear of what may come your way?

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil.” (Eph. 5:15-16).

Knowing that time is very valuable, it expires quickly, and it is impossible to get more, what will you do with the time you have left?

 

“Time is free, but it’s priceless
You can’t own it, but you can use it
You can’t keep it, but you can spend it
Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.”
― Harvey MacKay