Okay, Lord, How about putting another 12 hours in the day?

Here I am working on this 'post', eight hours later than I had planned for today, I still have several things to do before the church service tonight, haven't seen my wife, Claudia, since early last evening, and let's see . . . the hour hand indicates it's about 43 o'clock!

Have you ever felt like you'd already put in 43 hours in your day, and you still had lots of stuff left to do? How often do you stop and take inventory, asking yourself where the time has gone? Actually, that's sort of like asking, "Where has the money gone?"

The truth is, that like our money, our waking time just doesn't slip away. It is spent! At times, we may feel like we have little choice where our waking time or money is to be spent, but the fact remains that we choose how to spend it.

In fact, the Bible says that we can, and must redeem the time! That means that there is a way for us to pay a ransom, and set time free so that it can come back to us, and not get away from us.

The Greek word, eks-ä-go-rä'-zō , appears four times in the New Testament, and is translated 'redeem', which means to set someone/something free to come back to us by paying a ransom. It is used twice in Galatians where we are told that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13, 4:5), and it is used twice to tell us to redeem the time.

We can, and must pay a price to allow time to come back to us, and not be out there somewhere, constantly slipping through our fingers. Ephesians 5:15-17 tell us that the ransom we must pay is to walk circumspectly, walk in the will of the Lord, walk worthy of our calling in Christ Jesus, and to watch what we speak. It is a steep price, but it is price that God commands up to pay.

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord [is]. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;- Ephesians 5:15-18

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech [be] always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. - Colossians 4:5-6

We must not be so consumed with our own plans and projects, and our own desires and goals, that we neglect considering the ramifications of our choices, words, and deeds throughout the day. We must not be so anxious to meet the demands of others around us that we neglect to seek and do the will of God. We must be filled with the Spirit of God, as this is the only way that we be able to do the will of God.

Lord, grant me the knowledge of your will, and the power to carry it out.

Yours in Him,

Pastor B.