Redeeming the Time
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” –Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV
Jesus wakes us up on purpose for a purpose. He shines His light into our hearts that we might not just wake up and rise from the dead but so that we might be those who redeem the time we have for His Kingdom’s sake. The Authorized Standard Version of Ephesians 5:16 uses just those words to translate the same idea of “making the best use.” Redeeming the time is what we are to do. The particulars are captured in verses 17 and following but, for a moment I want us to think on the how. How do we redeem the time? Or maybe better asked, Who will enable us to redeem the time? This cannot be a solo mission. Left on our own, we will certainly not redeem the time well. Thankfully, God graciously gives us a Helper- the Holy Spirit. His presence and power in our lives is the essential element if we seek to redeem the time. In a recent Alliance Life article, my former running buddy Tim Meier dropped off an amazingly helpful quote from the founder of the Alliance, A.B. Simpson. Here is what Simpson said,
“Here’s the Holy Spirit who’s just as much at home amid the toiling hours and heavy pressures of Monday and Saturday as in these holy worship experiences of Sunday. Here is divine sufficiency, not only for our spiritual experience and our religious duties, but for everything that fills up our common life. Many of us have fortunes in our Bibles without knowing it or without using our infinite resources. The Holy Spirit is given to us to be used for every sort of need. And yet with all the power of Heaven at our call, many of us are going about in starvation simply because we don’t use our redemption rights. As sons and daughters of the King, we have access to the Holy Spirit, but some of us don’t lean in or choose in.” (italics mine)
One week ago yesterday, we were all “given” and extra hour as we adjusted our clocks to fall back. And while most of us have probably now adjusted to sunset happening around 5pm, what is likely not as memorable is what we did with that extra hour. In a far grander sense, God gives us time. The question is how will we use the time He grants us? Let’s redeem the time!
For introspection:
What is keeping you from yielding yourself more fully to the Holy Spirit?
For WEDnesday Discussion:
The filling of the Holy Spirit is a continuing command. How do you ensure that you are being filled?
What encourages you to speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs?
When do you find ways to sing and make music in your heart to God?
Submitting to one another is the final outgrowth of being filled with the Spirit. What is most difficult for you in yielding to the Jesus in others? How do you know when you should submit to someone else and when they should submit to you?
