Here we are moving into another year, wondering where the old year has gone. How could a whole year pass by so quickly and I not accomplish any of the things that were in my resolutions for this year? What did I do with all the time that had been granted to me; plenty of time to do most if not all the things I thought were so important?

 

     Time is so precious yet it is one of the most wasted things we have.  We often put off what should be done today until some other time. Some other time to call someone, to speak kind words, to do a good deed or share a smile. We are cautioned not to put off until tomorrow what should be taken care of at the present time for who knows what tomorrow holds but God.

 

     I find that many times when tomorrow gets here we wish that we had done, whatever it was we put off yesterday. Now there is a thought: yesterday, now that it is gone and we look back on it, we can see where there was plenty of time to do that needed thing but at the time we thought we were over whelmed. How many yesterdays does it take for us to realize that time will never return to us?

 

     In Ephesians 5:16 Paul wrote this, "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." How true that statement is in this day. Redeem, in this instance, according to Vine's dictionary, says "making the most of every opportunity, turning each to the best advantage since none can be recalled if missed." An opportunity to witness, to pray, to read God's word, to attend worship, to extend a hand to one, is missed because we are busy.

 

     God has given each one of us only a certain amount of this precious thing called time and will require an answer from us on how we used it. We read in the Bible that the only things that are going to matter in the end are those that are done for the Kingdom. Life is but a vapor that appeared for a little time, and then vanished away (James 5:14). I do not want my time here to end and no witness of God's goodness to me be left for others to see. And I do not want to stand before Him and not have anything to show for my time spent here on earth.

 

     If I can but lead one soul to the Lord, or show mercy to one like was shown to me, compassion to one that never experienced it, encourage one that has always been made to feel inferior and let them see God in me then time will be well spent. For in doing these things with our time, not just concentrating on ourselves, is what pleases our Heavenly Father.

 

     Let us, in this coming year, do more with our time to bring glory to God and build up His kingdom than to be self-centered, caring only about ourselves. Time...how will you use it? One way is to use every opportunity to do good for the King or another way is to satisfy self.

 

                                                Your Pastor,

                                                Anthony Krummrey