We are all familiar with such phrases as, “He is wasting his time,” or, “That was a waste of time.” Yet all of us, if we are honest with ourselves, must admit that we waste time at least occasionally. God will hold us responsible for what we do with our time down here, as to whether we use it for our own interests or for His glory.
In the day in which we live, at least in much of the Western world, it seems that time is at a premium, and there are many demands made on us. Many long for a simpler way of life, yet most find that it is not practical or even possible to avoid the complications that beset our lives in the modern world. In the middle of so many demands, it is more than ever necessary to understand what the will of the Lord is and to establish priorities in our lives. This is something that should start in our younger years, for if we form good habits in our early years, they will stand us in good stead all our lives. This requires discipline, a character trait that comes easier to some than others. But it must be practiced, if we are to accomplish anything for the Lord in our lives. If we think that we can do what we consider necessary for life down here and then do something for the Lord afterward, we will soon find that Satan will see to it that our time is always filled with either “the cares of this world” or “the deceitfulness of riches” (Mark 4:1919And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mark 4:19)). There will be no time left for the Lord.
The First Place
If these promises are kept in mind, we will be able to use our time for the Lord and have discernment as to how to set priorities in a difficult day.
Lest we should be misunderstood, let us hasten to say that we recognize that there are those who have very little free time. This was true in the apostles’ day, for some of the believers were slaves to masters who had total control of their time. Yet Paul could say to such, “Ye serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:2424Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:24)). If they did their service as unto the Lord, it was accepted as service to Him. Thus our motive is more important than what we do, but at the same time we are encouraged to seek the mind of the Lord and, if our time is at our disposal, to use it as He directs.
W. J. Prost