Time

Recently I completed reading the book “Frozen in Time” an historical account of the downing of World War II aircraft in Greenland.  It is an epic story of survival and a modern quest for solving the riddle of lost heroes in the Arctic ice.  It is a story of the courage of servicemen and women in the 1940s as well as the persistence of the recovery efforts by those in 2012.  Although the book was very interesting it made me think about the word “time.”  This word is used 888 times in the New International Version of the Bible.  As I was growing up I often heard the phrase “redeeming the time” from the King James Version (Ephesians 5:16 and Colossians 4:5).

 

I do like how the NIV translates these same verses – “making the most of every opportunity”.  Our time on this earth is called a life-time.  When I was young, a life-time seemed like a long protracted period.  However, as I grew older I realized that a life-time is quite short.  In reality it is crucial for all of us to do our best to make sure the time we have counts for Christ.  Jeremy Taylor said, “God hath given to man a short time here upon earth, and yet upon this short time eternity depends.”  I believe that is the case, so we need to wisely use the seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years that God gives us for things that will outlast us.  What is it that will outlast us?  The ministry of God’s word and the communication of eternal life through Christ.  How are you using your time?  Are you making the most of every opportunity for Christ?