Fleeting Time
Once again, we’ve reached the point in the year in which we are forced to “fall back”, go through the house and change all the clocks to reflect what has been declared as “the current time”. This can be a bit confusing, especially if we forget to re-set a clock. Then, if we plan our day by that clock, our whole schedule is likely to be off for at least a portion of that day.
This section of the year is most frustrating, as it seems we lose an hour out of the allotted period in which we have to accomplish the tasks assigned for that day. The other section of the year doesn’t affect us as negatively, as we tend to have more daylight, and it “seems” we gain an hour. However, we all are granted the same amount of time in a day. Everybody’s day consists of twenty-four hours. It’s just our perception of the day which is altered by the annual changing of the clocks.
What is important is not how much time we have, but what we do with it, or how we utilize it. A well-known passage from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 shows that there is a “time” for everything. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. Does it not make sense that since God has appointed a “time” for everything that there will be plenty of time for everything that “needs” to be done? In the above passage, many different things are addressed, and these cover all aspects of life.
Since God has provided a time for all that can take place, shouldn’t we direct our focus toward what He would have us do? God told His people in the O.T. in Micah 6:8 what was required of them. The same thing applies to those under the N.T. Law of Christ. Each is to use whatever time they have been granted, striving to be pleasing to God. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Those who lived under the Old Testament Law were required to follow God’s Commandments under that Law. All of us in the New Testament age are to be subject to God’s edicts as found in the New Testament.
But, let all know and be reminded that we don’t know “how much” time we might have on this earth. We are often reminded that time is fleeting. It certainly seems to “get away from us easily enough” doesn’t it? We are told in James 4:14 that life is short-lived at best. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. There is also the O.T. declaration of the suffering servant in his reply to his accusing friends in Job 14:1. Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
With brevity of time forefront in our minds, we should be better equipped to receive the Words of the Spirit in Romans 13:11-12, given through the pen of the apostle Paul. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. This was written to the Christians which gathered in Rome, but has equal application to us today. We seemingly have “filled” our days with all sorts of various things. How much of our time each twenty-four-hour period do we spend in God’s Word?
Why should we waste our time? Have we not access to “all things that pertain to life and godliness”, if we are His children? His Word confirms this to be the case in 2Peter 1:3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Is it any wonder that God has warned against the waste of time? He has provided a plethora of direction in His Word so Christians can know how to properly use their time in service to Him. Perhaps this is the idea behind 2Corinthians 13:3. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? If we are not “in Christ”, we are wasting our time. If we are not “in Christ” through obedience to the gospel, we are rejecting God’s plan.
God provided this plan. He prophesied that plan as the Holy Spirit spoke to men of old. He then orchestrated that plan in the sending of His Son to earth, and Christ brought the plan to fruition in His death, burial, and His resurrection from the dead to die no more. It should be readily apparent that God did not waste time, in that His plan was for our benefit.
Time is indeed fleeting. Why do you hesitate? 2Corinthians 6:2 makes it abundantly clear that you can’t afford to waste your time. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
