Daily Devotional

There are times when I come to the end of my day, and I ask myself the question, “Where has all the time gone?”  Maybe some of you have experienced the same thing?  It seems like time is accelerating.  How often we hear it said, “If I only had a few more hours in the day” or “How can I pack into 24 hours all that has to be done?”   But when God made the heavens and the earth, He designed them to only have a set number of hours, and He declared that to be “good!”

I came across some interesting statistics about time.  

• I will spend 6 months of my life at stop lights
• I will spend 5 years of my life standing in line
• I will spend 1.5 years of my life looking for lost things
• I will spend 8 months of my life opening junk mail

If we will use this number months and years in just doing life, we need to invest the rest of our time carefully.  Our days are filled with opportunities that entice us to invest our time and energy.  Each day the tyranny of the urgent cries out for every available moment.  With all these voices shouting for our attention, how can we recognize God’s voice among so many competing voices?  Every day we make choices in how we will spend our time.  Each day is filled with only 24 hours and we must make minute-by-minute decisions on how we will spend those moments.  There is a uniqueness about time.  It can only be spent once!  It can never be reclaimed.  It cannot be lived over.  Time is a precious commodity.  The use of our time is important to God.  As we wisely invest our time, we will find that God will use our lives to make a difference in our church, family, personal relationships and workplace.  

Paul contrasts two types of people when he writes not to walk “as unwise but as wise.”  The unwise person lives without any discernment or understanding.  He does not understand God’s design for his life and uses his time to follow his own agenda.  The word used by Paul indicates that he does not know the facts and thus makes a wrong decision.

He makes unwise choices for using his time.  With every new opportunity that comes along, the unwise chases off in a different direction following the opportunity, not questioning whether that is the best choice.  The loudest voice gains his attention.  At some point the unwise person discovers, to his dismay, that he has squandered the investment of his time.  But then it is too late.  Time cannot be relived or reinvested.

In contrast to the unwise is the person who is characterized as being wise.  He has spiritual and practical wisdom that comes from walking with God.  He has ordered his life with the priorities and discernment that comes with following God’s design for his life.  He understands how God has gifted him for service and invests his time in areas of ministry that use his giftedness for the furthering of Christ’s Kingdom.

His decisions are thoughtful, and he is not afraid to say “no” even to good things, to invest his time in what is best.  As he walks in love and light, he is making the most of the opportunities and ministries to which God invites him to be involved.

The Apostle Paul again contrasts those who are wise to those who are unwise when he tells the believers at Ephesus not to be foolish.  The word “foolish” in verse 17, is a different word from the word used for “unwise” in verse 15.  This word for foolish has the idea of knowing the truth or facts and choosing not to make the right decision anyway.  (Don’t confuse me with the facts!)   God has revealed His will, and He desires for us to know it.  We can make wise daily decisions to walk in His design for our lives.

Paul goes on to tell us in these verses, “understand what the will of the Lord is…”  God has prepared a plan for our lives.  He has made it possible for us to walk in it and enjoy the fulfillment that comes in doing His will.  As God continues to unfold His plan for our lives, we need to make the fulfilling of that plan a priority in our lives.  Every decision we make needs to be made with that reality in mind.

Prayer:  Lord, we need Your guidance as we make decisions each day.  We want to use our time wisely.  We yield ourselves to You.  Direct us by Your Spirit so that we use our time for Your glory.  Amen

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.