Today's Devotional

June 1, 2005

Subject:  What To Do With Time

Ephesians 5:16 - "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

Time is neutral and can be used for good or bad.  It's all in what you do with it.  Today I'll be driving the interstate highways on my trek from Virginia to Texas.  I've clearly decided what I'm going to do with that time in the vehicle.  I've got the entire bible on CD and will see how much of the bible I can listen to on the 2 day, 23 hour trip to Prairie View, Texas.  I'm really excited about that because I know I will hear things about God and His plan that I've never heard before.  In the normal hustle of a day, I simply don't get that kind of quality time with God's word so I'm most thankful that He has given me this opportunity.

What do you do with God-given time opportunities?  He gives them to us every day, but often we squander them with the cares of the world or sitting idly in front of the television set.  We get off of work early and it becomes an opportunity to stop by the mall.  We find out our kids don't have to be picked up for another hour or two and we roll back over for an extended nap.  I've even heard of people who go to the 8 o'clock Sunday morning worship because it's a shorter service and therefore that will give them the rest of the day to do whatever. 

Redeeming the time means to trade it in for something of value.  God will ultimately judge how we used our time just as He will judge how we used our talent, our money and all of the other gifts that He's given us.  

Today think about the next gap of time that sneaks into your schedule.  It's not an accident.  It's God calling you to be with Him.  Redeem the time.  Spend it with God. 

Carlen