Redeeming the time, because the days are evil

        "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.

          Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Eph. 5:15-16

Well, here we are this morning, rubbing our eyes and trying to keep from nodding off during the sermon because of today's time change. Our annual "leap forward" one hour and thus, losing a precious hour of sleep. Of course "sleep" isn't the only thing "precious" about time and we're going to further pursue the thought about the value of time here shortly.

Before we go to that thought, first I'd like to direct your attention to the verse above that I used as in intro into today's lesson. Our key phrase in that verse is "Redeeming the time." In the Greek language the word "redeem" means to "buy up" or the definition which I particularly like is "rescue from loss." Think of it in the sense of not losing a treasure or something very valuable.

OK now let's go on with our general thought regarding the value of "time." The idea of "time" being a treasure. I believe that most of us, myself included, simply do not truly consider just how valuable "time" is to us. When God created the world we live on and in, one of the things created was "time." This we see in Gen. 1:5 where it tells us that "the evening and the morning were the first day."

Prior to that was eternity and after this world is eternity. I've mentioned this before, but I really like a line spoken in an old cowboy movie when the old cowboy in it said "We travel between the eternities." No truer line was ever spoken in a movie. "Time" was created for us and only applies to this world.

I don't think that we really know much about time, other than how to divide it after God gave us the "day." We figured out how to divide it by hours, minutes and seconds and we've come up with all kinds of devices to apprise us of the passing of those divisions of "time." Some are pretty expensive too.

But, regardless of the cost of the device, it still can only divide "time." It can't change it in any way. Doesn't produce "time." Only divides it and let's us know that it has passed. And, speaking of passing, someone once penned the "5 things that can't return." (1) The stone after it's thrown. (2) The word after it's said. (3) The occasion after it's missed. (4) Time after it's gone. And (5) A person after they die. It's the last three that relate to our lesson today.

Another thing about "time" that we know, but much of the time don't think about enough is, that we do not have an infinite amount of it. It is a finite treasure, meaning that it someday will run out. It'll be gone, never to return. Sadly, the realization of this fact only seems to come to us later on in our lives, doesn't it?

There's really no way to measure this but, have you ever wondered how much "time" you've wasted so far in your life? Isn't it almost frightening to consider that? That reminds me of a statement attributed to Benjamin Franklin who said: "Dost thou live life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of." He is also reported to have said: "Lost time is never found again." How true.

You know, we don't have to have a Rolex on our wrist in order to know that "time" has passed though. We can realize "time" passing by noting a "change" in everything on earth. Everything about this earth changes. That's what Solomon was telling us in Eccl. 3:1 when he said "To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven." The words "under heaven" tells us that "time" applies only to us and this earth.

Scientists tell us that the earth is cooling down. I find that interesting when you consider the much bally-hooed theory of "Global Warming." Everything on the earth, including itself, is wearing out. We humans only have a certain amount of "time" to get things done while we're "traveling" here. Therefore, if we've only got so much "time" allotted to us, and we don't know just exactly how much that is, it behooves us to make the best use of our "time" that we can. Wouldn't you agree?

If I ran a poll and asked everyone just this one question, "What is the most important thing you can spend your time on in your life?" wouldn't you think it interesting to see the various answers to that question? I wonder how many would say that the saving of their soul is the most important? If we believe what Jesus said in Matthew, and I certainly do, then most of the earth's population won't think that. Only a "few"(7:14) will see the saving of their souls as "most important."

Thinking about my "poll" and the probable results of it reminded me of something written by a poet named Abraham Cowley back the 1600's. He wrote: "Time is lent to us to be laid out in God's service, and we cannot be too diligent in it, if we consider that time is precious, short, passing, uncertain, irrevocable when gone, and that for which we must be accountable.

Do you think that you'll be held accountable for the usage of your time here in this life? As they used to say on the old TV comedy show; "you bet your sweet bippy we will." Isn't that what we read in our preamble verse about "redeeming the time?" Even though it may seem so, our "days" are probably no more "evil" than any other age or era on this earth. Everyone, from the first humans put on earth to the last ones left when Christ returns, are required to account for their "time."

Another thought relating to the value of "time" and the "redeeming" of it is one that I read many years ago on a sign in a bank in Texas. It read: "Yesterday is a cancelled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is cash in hand. Spend it wisely."

Yesterday is gone. The "occasion" was missed and the "time" is gone. We don't know whether there will be more "time" or other "occasions" in which to make our souls condition clean and acceptable to God because that's where they will return at the end of our "time" here on earth. (Eccl. 12:7)

The second most important use of our "time" is to do our best to take other souls to heaven with us. To "go and teach" those around us about the Gospel of Christ which is what saves them and us. Since the Gospel has been left in earthly hands to spread throughout the world, we will not have any chance of saving them when either they or ourselves die. Remember #5 that never returns - the dead.

In closing, Paul in Ephesians told us to "walk" as the "wise" in the "redeeming" of your "time." Solomon asks a great question applicable to our lesson. In Eccl. 8:1 he asks: "Who is like a wise man?" And then in verse 5 provides us the answer: "And a wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment." Let's be wise and discerning of both those things.

Ron Covey