Redeeming the time:
The end of this year 2019 has come. In a few days this year will be brought to a close and we hope to start a new year 2020. At an occasion like this we look back at this past year. Time goes so fast, we would want to stop it or slow it down, but time flies.
Our daily life is often in a hurry. We have no time. So many things to do, so many things occupy us. We are so occupied with many matters of this life, that we have no time for more important things like the things of Yahweh's Kingdom and the needs of our soul. 
Yahweh's Word speaks about time. We wish to consider one of these texts as we find in Ephesians 5:16, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Time is precious. A blessed and happy eternity or a most miserable eternity depends on how we have made use of our time. Remember, we are in the time of grace. Our welfare in this life and in this world depends on how we have used our time. If we waste our time in this life we do not have to expect a good salary and great prosperity.  Likewise if we waste our time in regards to spiritual matters we cannot have a blessed eternity. Our state in eternity depends on how we use our time for the needs of our soul. By time we have the opportunity of escaping everlasting misery and gaining everlasting blessedness.

Time is also precious because it is short. If something scarce the value increases. Time is in short supply. It runs away like water in your hand. Job exclaims that his days are faster than an eagle. They pass away as swift ships. Our life is but a vapour, like rising smoke that vanishes away. Our time here on earth is nothing but a moment in comparison to eternity.  Time is so short and the work which must be done is so great that we have none of it to spare. In this short time we have to prepare for eternity. Time is also precious because when it is past, it cannot be recovered. There are many things which men possess and if they part with them, they can regain. But this is not so with time

How much time have we wasted? How much time has been spent in idleness? We are not at the beginning of a long period of life. Many of us may be over the half of their years. The clock is ticking. What did we do with our time? Have we wasted our precious time, our precious years? If we could add up all our days, what a great number of days. But what have we done with these days?
How much opportunity to do well? How much opportunity to seek the well being of your souls, to edify the church? Young people, how many years has the Lord given you to seek Him and to find life in the Lord? What can you show of any improvement to your soul? What have we done with our time in this past year? We learnt several computer games. But we did not learn the fear of Yahweh. Yahweh called us to bow our knees. Have we done so? Have we taken the eternal needs of our soul into consideration?

We waste our time and have spent days and months only chasing after the things of this life, chasing after money or excitement, but have not sought after life eternal? Then you have wasted time. Just a little more time left and it will be said of you: He or she lived in vain. He wasted his time. What have we done since the days of our youth? Today many people act as if time is of no value because they think they have an abundance of it. They live as if they have a great deal more time than they need so they waste it and throw it away.
Time is a blessing the Lord gives us. The Lord gives us all a certain set limited time. At the end of our Yahweh given time we will be called to give an account. How would you behave if you knew that at the end of tomorrow you would have to tell Yahweh how you used your time?

Time is an opportunity for doing good.
The text speaks of time. The word used here for time really means opportunity. In the setting of Ephesians 5 the apostle speaks about the life of holiness. That Yahweh's children must walk in love, no foolish talking, no filthiness, no covetousness, showing goodness and righteousness and truth. In that setting the apostle writes: Redeeming the time. This means here: It is the time to do good. That means to say, you have the opportunity to do good.

If you are leaving the day after tomorrow on a great trip, you make preparations. You cannot just stand up and leave. Preparations are needed. Yet there are so many people, who have to go on the great journey to eternity and make no preparations. The time will come when you will be turned out of your present dwelling place, your body. 
Use the opportunity the Lord gives you. It is only for a little while. Do not postpone. Hebrews 3:15 says: To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Today is the time of grace.
He is able and willing to soften your heart and to impress your heart with Himself. But make use of the opportunities the Lord gives you.

The Time must be redeemed.
The redeeming of the time means that man at the expense of earthly pleasures, use the opportunities the Lord gives them to gain salvation. The devil is at work robbing us of our time. He gives us little worthless glass beads in exchange. The days are evil. There is much temptation as never before to allure people away from Yahweh. There are so many temptations to keep you away from salvation. Redeem the time. We are so concerned about coming too late at work, but Yahweh has an appointment with you. He is going to keep that appointment, if you are prepared or not. Are you ready?

If you look back to the past year, the Lord has given you many opportunities to do good. How many opportunities have been wasted? Besides all the daily sins, we also have the sin of not having used the opportunity the Lord gave us. Yahweh has given you the rich privilege to be under the Gospel of grace. Yahweh now calls you. Hear Him. Run to Him in what ever condition you are. With Him there is forgiveness. With Him there is a new life and a new holy walk. His Spirit can lead to repentance.

Seek then salvation and redeem the time. Do you have any better work than to improve salvation? Are the matters of your work, your hobbies, and your family so important that Messiah, the soul and eternity can be postponed? But if these matters are not more important, compared to the your soul and salvation, redeem then the time, because the days are evil.

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Maranatha Prayer Fellowship. # 311, Agarwal Chambers, King Koti, Hyderabad-500 001, A.P.India.
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