by Vince Wall

No matter who we are, rich or poor we are all given something in common that we can spend. Each of us has been given the gift of time.

One author wrote,

Time is a strange commodity we can’t save it, retrieve it, relive it, stretch it, borrow it, loan it, stop it or store it, but can only use it or lose it.

Whilst ever we are alive we all have 365 days in the year which is 12 months of 24 hour days. In a 24 hour day we each have 86,400 seconds to spend until the day we die and by the time you have reached the age of 75 you will have spent nearly 2.5 billion seconds on earth.

In the Old Testament Moses wrote,

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (Psalm 90.12).

When you look at the life of Jesus Christ you will see that He never wasted time. From a young child Jesus knew that His time was to be well used. At the age of 12 Jesus said,

…I must be about my Fathers business (Luke 2:49).

In His short life of 33 years, Jesus accomplished much with the days He had on earth. The Lord Jesus gave time to work, He gave time to pray and He gave time to read the Scriptures. Jesus also used His time to evangelize and disciple others and gave His time to be with friends and even strangers.

Jesus knew He had limited time here to do His Father’s will. Jesus said,

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work (John 9:4).

I can say without a doubt that Jesus never wasted a moment of time and even in His dying hours on the cross He used His time to pray, forgive and comfort others whilst giving His life for the redemption of all mankind.

The Apostle Paul also knew that the wise use of time was imperative for God’s people. Paul said: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5.15-16). Paul was also fully aware that each of us have a limited time here on earth to be involved in the Lord’s work and that if we are not careful our opportunities will be wasted.

Every believer should know that the way we use our time, talents and treasures on earth has eternal consequences for ourselves and others. A good use of time whilst we are on earth will result in eternal rewards in the future but time wasted will result in loss at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5.10).

There are things on earth that we will also do in Heaven. In Heaven we will praise God, we will fellowship with the saints and we will serve the Lord but in Heaven we will never be able to bring a lost person to Jesus Christ, for the time to do that is now.

The time for soul winning is not on the golden streets of Heaven but on the dusty streets of earth.

The pioneer missionary C.T. Studd gave up his family inheritance and a career as an English Test Cricketer to serve the Lord by faith in darkest Africa. Studd wrote: Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

We have 86,400 seconds to spend this very day, let’s spend it wisely for the Lord.

 

This article is a preview of an article written by Vince Wall, which will appear in the 2019 June Edition of The Herald of Hope Magazine.