Tuesday, January 7, 2014

525,600 MINUTES



     I don’t know about you but I am very time conscious.  When I forget my watch it drives me crazy.  My kids don’t even wear watches most of the time, they use their phones.  I don’t want to have to draw my phone out every now and then to see what time it is.  I just want to look at my wrist and there it is.  Now they’re making phones that fit on the wrist.  I think it’s just so they can see what time it is.
     One of the interesting things that we all have in common because of watches, cell phones, clocks on the wall at work or school, is that we are constantly aware of what time it is.  Many times a day you check to see what time it is.  One of the most common questions people ask is “what time is it?”  Every once in a while we’ll lose ourselves in a book or a hobby and we’ll say something like this:  “I lost track of time.”  But very quickly we recover and figure out what time it is.  The problem is, that’s not the most important question we should ask when it comes to time.  So as we enter into 2014 I want us to begin asking a better question.  I think you will agree this is a better question.  Instead of asking what time is it, I think we should ask this question:  What am I doing with my time?
     The idea of time slipping away is very much a part of Scripture.  The Bible has a lot to say about how time quickly goes by.  As you get older, there will come a time when you stop thinking about how old you are, and you will begin thinking about how much time you have left.  Instead of looking back at how old you are, you are going to look ahead and sense there is a finish line out there somewhere.  How do we best invest our time in this new year?  What do we do with a fresh 525, 600 minutes?
     In Psalm 90 Moses says, “Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”  Our days really are numbered, so why not live them within the context of God’s purpose for us?  How about asking God what HE wants you to do with that day off, that vacation, that business trip, or that weekend you have free?  When we understand that the context of time is eternal, and our few years so fleeting, it helps us make wise decisions as we number our days.  We make better financial decisions, better relationship decisions, and better career decisions.
     Instead of asking what time it is, in 2014 we need to ask what we need to be doing with our limited time.  This is not about “the end is near”.  If you think that way you will run away from the reality that your days are numbered.  But if you will embrace the fact that God has given you life, He’s given you another year, and He’s given it to you for a purpose and that purpose is not you, you will discover a context for which to live your life.  Because when it comes to the concept of time, context is everything.  And the context is there is a grander narrative and you are not the main character.  It’s about allowing Him to leverage our skills and our time for His glory rather than ours.