Use Your Time Carefully

Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV) ¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
¹⁶ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.


It has been said that time is something that you can't make more of. This truism makes every moment special. Many people have great plans but few actually do anything. They hope for a tomorrow that never comes. They do not understand the principle of TNT (Today Not Tomorrow). They speak in terms of not having enough time to do what they want but never start or make time for the most important things. They trade off the most important things for passing fancies.

There are lots of things I want to do. I want to be in the business of doing them. This means I cannot waste my time. I wanted to exercise and read novels but could not find the time. So, I subscribed to Audible books (www.audible.com) and ride a bicycle to work. I have to go to work anyway. It takes me twenty-five minutes to ride a bicycle to work rather than ten minutes by car. I listen to the audible books while I ride. (I ride on the sidewalks so I can listen to the book rather than traffic.) This way I get three things done at once. I read my book, exercise and go to work. If I didn't do this I would neglect two things I would like to do.

I limit my television time. There are only a couple of shows that I watch regularly. Many other good shows may be there but I just don't have the time. I like to watch college football in the fall but I often only watch the second half. If the game is a blowout I haven't wasted my time and if it isn't the winner is the one with the highest score at the end of the game anyway.

I would like to say I make a to-do list everyday. I get more done each day I have a to-do list. This is obviously something I need to employ. Otherwise, important things won't get done.

Everyone has priorities. Many of these are insignificant if we do not consider that we have been placed on this earth for a purpose. If we believe it is all about us we will flounder from one thing to another. We will try to placate our children rather than raise them to be responsible adults. We will be bored with the most important things and thrilled with the most mundane. We will point backwards at our lives and say we did it our way but we will not have changed lives. At best we have been entertainers. At worst we have been forgotten.

The days are full of evil. One of these evils is wasting the day. Even the plans of God which He has held for us before the beginning of time will matter little if we do not follow Him by using our time wisely.

I hope that everyone who reads this is blessed by this day. It is truly a gift. Much of the blessing comes in using the day wisely.