Psalm 90:12
Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Today, our great-nephew Timothy is two years old. The time has flown, and I fully understand what people mean when they say that we turn around and our children are grown! I sat at a recent high school baseball game and looked around at teenagers who I knew as babies just yesterday – or so it seemed. I looked at their young, energetic faces and watched them interact with friends. When you are in 8th or 9th grade, you think high school will never end, and one week after graduation, you’re wondering where the time went.
The next thing you know, you are a young adult. Maybe you went to college, and that time flew by. Maybe you went straight to work, and now you wonder where those years in your late teens-to-early twenties went. Young parents find themselves wondering where the time went as their babies rapidly grew into toddlers and young children.
Those becoming grandparents for the first time wonder how in the world they got there… when did their kids become old enough to have children of their own? Even older folks look at the younger ones and think, “I was their age… what seems like just yesterday!” The old cliché is no joke – time truly does fly!
I’ve said that I’m just now old enough to appreciate babies… and too old to chase after them! But one thing I have realized with Timothy is that each day I spend with him is a day I will never get back. So I have learned to let a lot of things go in favor of time spent reading books or dancing and singing to yet another episode of “Jack’s Big Music Show” – or riding the tricycle on the driveway and playing and splashing in the bath tub. So what if I don’t get the newspaper read or see the news and weather forecast. Who cares if I didn’t get my makeup on for a day or two and we stayed in our pj’s until nearly noon? What’s the worst that can happen if the house is a wreck for a week or two? We’re making memories and spending quality time together… and I’m making sure that Timothy knows how important he is to us.
One of the greatest commodities we have is time. Most of us will tell anyone who will listen that we never have enough of it. The truth is… most of us just don’t use our time wisely. There is nothing wrong with relaxing, having a hobby, working for a living – or even piddling away a few hours doing nothing. But many of us need to stop and take a hard look at our priorities… and how we use our time. We need to ask God to teach us how to use wisely all the time we have… when to work and when to play – and how to arrive at a healthy balance.
In so many areas of our life, we waste time that we will never get back again. We squander chances to enjoy the company of friends and family in favor of mundane or insignificant activities. We choose to participate in things that bring no meaning or purpose to our life… much less serve God in any capacity… and we think we are really living.
I challenge you today to stop and ask God if you are truly using wisely the time that He has given you. Ask Him to show you what activities are really worthwhile… and which ones you could easily eliminate. Pray for balance in your life between rest and relaxation – and honest, productive work. If you will trust God to show you how to use your time wisely, you will know when to earnestly give something your total attention… and when you need to simply stay home your pj’s and dance like a two-year-old. Our time is finite… how are you spending yours?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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