Don’t Waste Your Time…
Therefore, be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:16).
One of the most tragic happenings in a Christian’s life is “not walking” where, how, and when the LORD bids you. Sadly, we let too many “other” things get in our way. Perhaps, at one time or another, you felt a “calling” upon your life to follow Jesus in a specific direction. Perhaps, you even prayerfully considered attending seminary training or enrolling into a higher educational program that would have prepared you to work and minister to others in a specific area or need. But, over the course of your life you allowed other secular interests, circumstances, situations, and even other people to influence your choices and decisions. As you grow older, you will find that those missed opportunities to serve Christ will become more and more sad for you. It is far better to “redeem” our time wisely for the LORD than to allow those moments to escape our lives. I encourage you to stick to God’s plan for your life and ignore any and all other detours!
Too sadly, one of the most devastating thoughts in a Christian’s life is to “wake-up” one day and realize how much time has elapsed in your life and how little time you have left to engage yourself in God’s plan for your life. But, as long as you have breath in your lungs you can use that breath for Christ! I encourage you to renew your heart’s interests and surge forward by “redeeming” the time for Christ.
June 14th marks a very special anniversary for me. It will be the 48th anniversary of my entering into the hospital for open-heart surgery to repair a congenital heart defect. It was nothing less than a miracle that I had lived the first ten years of my life with very little blow blood and no recognizable pulse to the lower extremities of my body. I had a full-blockage in the aorta artery. I was very tiny for my age and very sickly even though God had blessed me with an abundant “will-power” to run, play, jump, and talk! Doctors assured my parents that without the corrective surgery, I would only live a few more years and most likely never see my sixteenth birthday. However, they could only give me a fifty-fifty chance of making it through the surgery. Not very good odds for 1966. But, God had other plans for my life.
At that time, God brought into my life a group of pioneer cardiologists from Emory University Hospital who were willing to meet the risks. Not only did I survive the surgery and recovery period, but if I live to June 24th, I will be celebrating my 58th birthday. However, my acquaintance with medical issues did not stop there. Because of the lack of blood supply in my body for the first ten years of my life, I have encountered several medical issues over the years including two spontaneous brain aneurysms. Thankfully, God sent well-skilled neurologists from the same hospital, Emory University, to take care of those physical needs as well.
So, with all of that being said, I knew a long time ago, around the age of ten, that God had a plan for my life; and HE still does. I haven’t always “redeemed” the time as wisely as I should. Too often, I allowed people, emotions, feelings, disappointments, circumstances, rejection and betrayal, and all other types of hurdles to detour my efforts at times for Christ. But, God has been merciful and has shown great mercy. God’s Grace has always been sufficient in my life.
With God’s Grace and guidance, I was fortunate enough and blessed to serve alongside of my husband in the ministry for over thirty-five years before he retired in 2012. But, let me assure you that there is LIFE after retirement!
Today, I can still redeem the time for my LORD. I write a weekly inspirational article for our local newspaper, and I published my first Christian-fiction romance novel back, Break Away, back in 2010. This past January, I started teaching a Ladies Bible study in our church, and I am celebrating my third anniversary this week writing this particular blog that I hope and pray will always be a source of encouragement. I can assure you that when we are willing, God will always make a way and allow us to serve Him with our time, talents, and energies. Amen…
Perhaps, like me, you may be disappointed that you have not always “redeemed the time” as well as you would have liked for Christ. After all, HE did it ALL for both you and me when HE died for my sins and yours on the Cross at Calvary. That type of AMAZING AGAPE LOVE should always be our “motivator” to stir our hearts and lives in order to serve Him more and more.
When I die I want the world and my family to know without a shadow of a doubt that God loved me and I love Him through Jesus Christ…And, because of that amazing Love, I don’t want to waste another second of time not walking wisely and doing God’s will for my life.
Today, let us rejoice in our time together here upon Earth to serve our LORD wisely by redeeming the time…for the evil days of man are upon us.
Remember, God Loves You!
Lin T Rollins, M.Ed. Author