Dear Brethren,

What is your Choice?
Spend your time; Waste your time; or Invest your time

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5: 16

 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” Colossians 4: 5

The Bible tells us in 2 verses with no uncertain terms that we ought to redeem our time. We must take heed to the warning of God’s Word especially when it is spoken to us twice. When the new year 2014 started, we wonder when we will reach the mid-point in June. Here we are now on the 2nd Lord’s Day in June 2014.

We all have exactly 24 hours in one day. No more; no less. It is the same for everyone whether you are rich or poor, young or old, healthy or sick, student or worker or retiree or home-maker. We will use our time on what we consider to be important. We only commit to things because we choose to and hence our schedule reveals our priorities. Pause and examine your schedule for the past week or month, and you may be surprised what your priorities turn out to be. Is it your favourite TV programme or handphone game or leisure activity or even your sleep?

Instead of scheduling your priorities around your life, and getting ourselves busy with so many unnecessary things, we ought to schedule our lives around our priorities. What should those priorities be?

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

Of the Ten Commandments, the very first commandment God gave was :

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”Exodus 20:3

The Bible is clear: God should be our number one — most important and highest priority. God wants to be number one on a list of one in our priority! In John 15:1-4, Jesus talks about pruning off things that produce no fruit. He tells us to cut off anything that does not have meaningful and eternal value, which means that we are to get rid of anything that doesn’t strengthen our relationship with God.

You could spend your time doing meaningless things which is really a waste of your precious time. Or you could invest your time in order to make your lives count for Jesus. In Luke 10:38-42, we learn the story of Mary and Martha. Jesus told Martha she was careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful and Mary had chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. What was the one thing, which is the good part, Mary had chosen? She sat at the feet of Jesus to listen to His Word. That’s what it means to seek the only meaningful and eternal thing – God Himself. King David said in Psalm 27:4 :

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.”

What is the one thing you lack today? Is it God Himself?

We need to re-order our lives to focus on knowing God better, seeking Him, knowing His Word and His will and purpose for our life. That’s really the only thing needed in redeeming our time — that’s how you invest your time wisely for eternity.

Elder John Leong