Guest Post: Renewing the Time
Melanie was kind enough to do a guest post for this blog. Her writings are some of my absolute favorite out there in the world of blogger =) Be blessed!
Tick……tick….tick…
We look at our watches…we go back to our work. We eat. We work. We play. We sleep.
But what if we don’t hear the next tick? We are never guaranteed that there will be another chance, another opportunity, or another tomorrow.
What if today was your last day on earth? How then would you live for our precious Savior?
In our culture today, time is just a nuisance that cannot be avoided. It is constant, steady, and unshakeable.
In today’s world, life consists of pleasure. We work to earn money, which we spend on needless things for our own entertainment. We spend time with friends doing things to fulfill our selfish desires. We do the bare minimum when it comes to our schoolwork, without really applying ourselves. Essentially, we waste our lives.
How?
Because we fail to recognize that our days our numbered. Each day, we are one step closer to the end of our lives. Though this is a glorious thought, in that we will be going into the arms of our Savior, it is also very sobering.
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” James 4:13-16
This boasting is evil, because we are essentially putting ourselves in God’s place. We do not know what tomorrow will hold. Nor can we comprehend what the next year may hold. Only God knows these things.
David, in Psalm 90:14 prays: “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
David was asking God to help him redeem the time --to learn to view each day as an opportunity that will only come once.
God has been teaching me so much lately about laying down my life and dying, so that I may find true life in Him. He’s teaching me that truly, the only reason to live, is Himself. As we abide in Christ, He re-directs our steps from our own selfish paths…to the road that He himself paved for us on His way to Calvary. He really will teach us to number our days –to give every part of ourselves for Him, every day –as we pursue His heart.
One of my all time favorite quotes is the following:
"Live each day as if it were [your] last, but expect to be here for a lifetime." (Ludy, When God Writes Your Life Story, 99)
Why do I love it? Because it’s so true. We are live everyday to the utmost in service to Christ. Not pursuing earthly joy or treasures, but serving our King. Yet this is an ongoing action –each day we must surrender to our Lord. We must ask Him to teach us how to be spent out for His kingdom. We must learn—by His loving guidance –how to lay down our lives in order to serve Him. Only when we understand the beauty of true surrender will we be able to say, “God, do with this day as You wish. Not my will, but Yours be done.”
I read something last year that really convicted me in this area, the main point which I would like to share here. I know that too often I take that little hug from my sister, or my brother’s annoying actions for granted. I don’t take the time I ought to when Emily runs in and asks for a kiss or for me to tuck her in. I don’t take enough time to pause and listen when Cody wants to tell me about something he did with his friends. I don’t stop long enough for one more song, “Just one more, pleeeaaasseee, sissy?” I don’t realize that my world is rushing by. I don’t pause long enough to realize that………….
I’m going to miss this.
I’m going to miss all these little things that seem so easily pushed aside. I’m afraid that I must say I have not yet learned how to treasure every moment of life. Each new day brings with it the honor of serving my Savior and furthering His kingdom for His glory; what more of a reason for living could I ask for? What else would make each day more of a treasure?
We redeem the time by turning our focus to Calvary. When we realize that we are living for Christ –the one who died for us and loves us just as much as the Father loves Him –we will make the best use of our time, because we know that each second belongs to Him. And as we know this, we will desire to do everything for His glory…to serve Him with every fiber of our being for every single moment of “our” (actually “His”) time.
So Lord, we pray that You would teach us to number our days and grant us hearts of wisdom. We pray that we would remain unhindered by worldly obstacles and that our gaze would always and ever be fixed on You –the Author of time. We know that You hold our lives in Your hands, and that You do not give us one more or less day for life than what is best for accomplishing Your purpose. How we love You! Mold us into women who know how to make the best use of Your time.
Amen.
On a last note, I found this video to be convicting and thought provoking..and I hope it challenges you as much as it did me (I see some kind of parallel between my little sister and me and these two brothers...and it convicted my heart..I pray that it may touch you also. I can only pray that God will mold me into the best, most Godly sister to my precious siblings).
May God bless each of you.
Melanie is a young lady who is seeking to serve her Savior and King with everything in her. She enjoys worshipping through music, writing, capturing God's creations through photography, and reading good books. Her favorite moments are spent sitting at the feet of her Maker --and her ultimate desire is to bring glory to Him!
To read more from Melanie, visit her blog Forever His Servant
Have a wonderful week!