Redeem 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. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." ~ Ephesians 5:15-17

Twice in three short verses, Paul warns us against living unwisely.

And how do we live unwisely? First, by not paying attention to how we walk. Second, by poor time management. And thirdly, by an ignorance of the Lord's will.

And why should we care about wise living? Because in verse 8 we are called to walk as children of the light. Wise living is part of our calling.

So let's take these three things one at a time, that this week may be a week of wise living.

First, Paul says "look carefully then how you walk". Meaning, examine yourselves. Be still enough to know the feelings of your heart. Stand in front of the mirror of God's word. Are you walking in step with the Spirit or in the flesh? Do you walk with anger in your heart? With bitterness? With lust? Do you walk blindly, not knowing the mission that Jesus has given you, or Are you in line with His mission of disciple-making? These are all questions we must ask ourselves to see how we are walking.

Second, Paul says "making the best use of time". All of us have 168 hours in a week. Once they're gone, we can't get them back. So how are you spending your time? Is it wasted away on social media and television? Is it slept away through sluggishness and a desire to do nothing? Or is it spent on eternal things - like Bible reading and prayer and discipleship and Christian community and evangelism and working heartily at your job for the glory of God? Because the days are evil, we must be intentional to manage our time, not letting it manage us. We must "redeem the time" for God's glory.

Third, Paul says "Understand what the will of the Lord is". When we understand His will, we will walk in wisdom and not folly. And we come to understand His will as we see it revealed in the Scriptures. Rather than me telling you what it is, I want to encourage you to read His will for your life on your own. Look at the following passages sometime this week: Ephesians 4:1-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, Hebrews 10:24-25, Matthew 22:34-40, and Matthew 28:18-20. May you receive understanding in the Lord's will as you read these passages.

May we examine ourselves today, make the best use of our time, and understand the will of the Father for our lives.

~ Pastor Alexander