By Dr. Rebekah McCloud
Back in the day, Momma used to collect S&H Green Stamps. Meticulously, she would paste her stamps in nice straight rows on each page of the S & H Green Stamps Quick Saver Book. When she had saved enough stamps to get the item she wanted from the green stamps catalog, we’d make a trip to the redemption center. It was a real treat for me.
How many of us can say that we are as meticulous with redeeming our time as Momma was with redeeming her green stamps? Honestly, my answer is no. But I’m working on it.
Ephesians 5:16 tells us to “redeem the time, because the days are evil.” Amen. We know this to be true. Just turn on your TV. There’re all kinds of demon, witch and zombie shows, all kinds of sexuality and vulgar language, murder and lawlessness. There are all kinds of things we need to guard our eyes, ears and heart from. This doesn’t even include what we see and hear on the news. Yes, the Bible is true, the days are evil. So, what is a Christian to do? Redeem the time.
Time is one of the things over which God has given us to care for, to steward. Remember, he has put time, talent money and resources in our care. We are 100% responsible for what we do with them. We can use it or we can waste it. Grace, time is short. The old folk used to say, “time is winding up.” I believe that we are living in the last days. So how do good and faithful servants prepare for the task at hand?
Psalm 90:12 says, “teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Indeed, we need wisdom. 1 Corinthians 7:31 cautions us that, “the form of this world is passing away.” And James 4:13-14 wants us not to boast about tomorrow. It says, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” Psalm 39:5 puts it this way, “Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.”
I read several articles about redeeming the time. In one,
Rev. Charles Seet noted that, “One area of our life we need to consider carefully is our stewardship of time. Are we putting our time to good use in view of the limited time that is left for us until Christ returns? Should we continue to use our time in the same way that we have been using it all along, when we know that Christ’s coming is getting nearer and nearer? Should we not rather treat time now as a precious commodity, and make every day, every hour and every moment count for the Lord?”[1]
In the article I read by Larry McElroy he asked “Are you using your most valuable asset wisely?” He went on to say that, “One of the greatest problems facing humanity and God’s people is the proper use of time, which we are admonished to “buy up, ransom or to rescue from loss.” Spiritual darkness, blindness, evil, deceit, perilous times, procrastination and our own sense of invincibility often deceive and ensnare us into wasting time. We must change our habits! We must redeem the time that remains in our lives and the time remaining in this age. If we use each day wisely and “faint not,” we will be “renewed day by day”. Now is the time to establish new habits and right priorities!”[2] Amen.
In a third article, Jerry Flurry said, “God has given us enough time to carry out His plan for us. If we don’t have enough time it is not that God has not given us enough time, but that we need to redeem time.” [3]
Stewards, we have everything we need to redeem the time. Matthew 5:14 tells us that we—you and I—“are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Redeeming the time is not for the faint at heart. Galatians 6:9 reminds us, “let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
“Each new day brings us 24 hours, 1440 minutes, 86,000 seconds, each moment a precious gift from God, each calling for us to be good stewards, mindful that one day we must give an account for how we spent the time God loaned us, how effectively we “bought up” the opportunities He provided. If someone gave us $1440 each day and said spend it or lose it, how diligent would we be to comply? Yesterday is but a cancelled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is all of the cash that you have. Spend it wisely. As someone has well said
I have only
just a minute, only 60 seconds in it;
forced upon me; can’t refuse it;
didn’t seek it, didn’t chose it.
But it’s up to me just how I use it.
I must suffer if I lose it, give account if I abuse it.
Just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it.”[4]
[1] Seet, C. (2004). Ephesians 5: 5-17-Redeemin the Time for the Days are Evil. At https://www.lifebpc.com/resources/treasury-of-sermons/68-ephesians/654-ephesians-5-15-17-redeeming-the-time-for-the-days-are-evil.
[2] McElroy, L. (n.d.) Redeeming the Time Are you using your most valuable asset wisely? At https://rcg.org/pillar/0704pp-rtt.html.
[3] Flurry, J. (2006). Redeeming the Time. At https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/redeeming-the-time-jerry-flury-sermon-on-giving-yourself-89396.
[4] Redeem the Time (2018) at https://www.preceptaustin.org/redeem_the_time. e