I guess you might say that I am a lover of the written and spoken word. For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with books, stories, ideas, and thoughts. I am especially taken with quotes. Often times a good quote is just the catalyst needed to catapult me into deep meditation. Recently, I came across such a quote. It rang so true that it immediately struck a chord. It simply stated, “Just breathing isn’t living.” I read it several times allowing the idea to sink into my brain. I had to question myself. Am I living or just taking in air? What am I doing with the time that I have been given?
This little quote brought to mind the Apostle Paul’s cautionary advice to the church at Ephesus reminding them to “redeem the time” or “make best use of the time”. Eph. 5:16 After all, James 4:14 tells us that our lives are “…a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.” It begs the ultimate question. How would my Father have me make the best use of my limited days here on earth?
We don’t have to look very far for the answer of how the Christian should redeem the time. In the very same chapter of the book of Ephesians (5), as well as the following chapter, we are given explicit instructions on how to make the most of our few days as sojourners. We are instructed to redeem the time by:
1. Being Wise – This does not refer to earthly wisdom or the wisdom of men but “wisdom from above”. James 3:17 We are to actively seek to understand the will of the Lord. All too often, we rely on our own solutions only to find ourselves in a heap of trouble. This is exemplified in the words of our Savior spoken in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said, “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to the wise man who built his house on the rock.” You know the rest of the story. When the rains, floods, and winds of life come (and we all know that is a given), if we turn to His wisdom, and if we are, “founded on the Rock”, our house will stand upright. Matt. 7:24-25 We are given comfort and assurance of the blessings found in full dependence on God’s wisdom in Proverbs 2:7-8 “ He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints.”
2. Being Filled With the Spirit- We live in a society that tells us to fill ourselves with a variety of carnal items such as alcoholic beverages, sexual exploits, gambling, and so many other forms of riotous living. We are bombarded with images that tell us true contentment is found in perfecting the body, acquiring things, and amassing fortunes. Paul said, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.” Dissipation is a wasteful expenditure of self-indulgence. If we are consumed with self, we are wasting the precious time allotted to us and robbing ourselves of being filled. True fulfillment is only achieved by filling ourselves with the Spirit. It is accomplished by immersing ourselves in His Word in which can be found “all things pertaining to life and godliness”. Am I devoting an adequate portion of my time to searching the Scriptures on a daily basis? If not, I will become malnourished and weak spiritually. If the old adage “you are what you eat” holds true, “you are what you fill yourself with” is even more true.
3. Being a Member of the Body- We are first and foremost to become a member of the body if we hope to redeem our time. We must be “baptized into the body” of which Christ is the Head and Savior. 1 Cor. 12:14; Eph. 5:23 Some of our most precious and valuable time here on earth will be spent with members of the body of Christ. We are to build one another up through edification and encouragement. We are to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Rom 12:15 “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” 1 Cor. 12:26 We recharge ourselves by “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together..but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the day approaching.” Heb. 10:25 Being a part of the body is just a small preview of what heaven will be like. We get a little taste of the glory to come when we are “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in [our] heart[s] to the Lord”. Eph. 5:19
4. Being Submissive- This is where we tend to lose people. In a “politically correct” society that pushes for role reversal and gender equality submissiveness is portrayed in a very negative light. However, Ephesians chapters 5 and 6 paint a completely different picture of being submissive. According to God’s plan, The church is subject to Christ, and members are to submit to one another in the fear of God. Wives are to submit to their own husbands for the husband is the head of the wife. Husbands are to cherish their wives. Children are to obey their parents in the Lord, and fathers are to train up their children in the Lord. Any hierarchy other than this breeds chaos and contempt. God in His infinite wisdom designed the perfect plan to allow us to help one another redeem the days.
5. Being Strong in the Lord and the Power of His Might- As we all know, we have an adversary, the devil, who is walking about actively seeking to devour us. I am of the mind that one way he accomplishes this is by eating away at our time management one bite at a time. We must be constantly aware that Satan desires nothing more than to sit back and watch us waste our time. He knows it is the first step down the slippery slope of apostasy. However, we need not fear because God has given us an entire arsenal of weapons that we might use to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph. 6:11 God in His goodness has supplied us with truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, and His Word that we might be able to “withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
If you are like me, there are just some days that it seems all you have accomplished is breathing in air. Sometimes days, weeks, months, and even years seem to vanish in dissipation. It does not have to be so. Our Creator, Who knows what is best for us, has a plan, and has revealed that plan to us through His Word. Let us purpose to not squander the precious gift of time He has gifted us. The reward is well worth it. You see living isn’t just breathing. In fact true living is just the opposite. It is accomplished through death. “For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Col. 3:3-4
Shanna Mathis Anderson