Ephesians 5:15-16 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time for the days are evil.”
I always thought that when I retired I would have lots of time on my hands. I had visions of relaxing in a lounge chair doing a little bird-watching while sipping an ice-cold glass of sweet tea. Surprisingly, I find that in my “golden years,” I am as busy as the proverbial bee! Most days, I am teaching my granddaughters, which keeps me learning new things as well as them! Other times, I am traveling with my husband, experiencing new lands and cultures. Sometimes I am immersed in my writing, doing time-consuming research or rewriting manuscripts. I find I still look forward to the weekend’s respite, just like I did when I was working full-time! In all my busyness, it is easy to squander my time, but as usual, the answer for managing my time wisely in is found in the Bible!
A Time for Devotions
James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”
It is important to know God. When I first met my husband, I wanted to know all about him. I spent as much time as I could with him to get to know him better. It is the same with God. The more time I spend with Him, the more I get to know Him, and I do this through my personal times of devotional study. As I spend in His Word, I learn more about Him, and as I meditate on the Scriptures, His Holy Spirit reveals more of God’s character to me.
A Time for Fellowship
Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
I cherish the time I get to go to church and worship with other believers. When I gather with other Christians, I am encouraged, comforted, and edified through our worship and prayer times together. As I sit under solid Biblical instruction, I learn more about Jesus and how I can follow in His footsteps. Time with my church family is precious beyond measure! And speaking of family…
A Time for Family
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
The best way to train up a child is to be a living example for that child to follow. What was important to me as a mom often became important to my children. If they saw church as a priority in my life, it became one in their life. If they saw prayer time and Bible study in my life, they wanted the same for their life. As I strove to follow Jesus and worked to live a life pleasing to God, it influenced my children’s lives as well. Today, my children are grown, but my work is not finished. Now I am a grandmother, and I have a new role. I help my daughter homeschool my granddaughters! Teaching these two girls is such a joy for me, and I realize that I am still following God’s family directive! Weaving Biblical principles throughout their studies is one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching, and each day is a special blessing for me!
A Time for Work
Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Even in retirement, there is work to be done! It may be work at home, at the church, or somewhere else, but until God calls me home, I know He has something for me to do. There is no job that God has called me to do that is too menial a task. Therefore, I must continually seek His direction while moving forward to serve Him.
A Time for Rest
Exodus 20:8-10 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:”
There are lots of problems in life, and sometimes there are things that trouble and concern me greatly. These burdens can become difficult to bear, and my inner spirit sags under the weight of them. I need to be renewed. Rest is that period of time set aside for renewal. For me, I love to “rest” at church. Being with God’s people renews me! When I am at church, I lift my voice in songs of praise and worship; I bask in the goodness of His Word being preached, and I am renewed by the work of His Holy Spirit! Taking time to rest with God is so refreshing!
A Time for Hope
Titus 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”
This last time is often referred to as the Rapture. It is the time when Jesus comes down from heaven in the clouds and calls for every Christian to go with Him to our heavenly home. Every Bible prophecy that needs to be fulfilled prior to the Rapture has been fulfilled. Today could well be the time of the shout from the Archangel, the trumpet sounding, and Jesus’ appearing, which will call us up to join our Lord in the heavens. That “time” could be today!
1 Corinthians 15:52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
This brings to mind Ecclesiastes 3: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
This post falls in line with something that has been on my mind. Recently I’ve been under conviction about how much time I spend on myself, my wants, my goals compared to the amount of time I spend with the Lord and doing His business, ergo responding to His call on my life – to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ bringing reconciliation with the Father to those in need of it.
Of course, there are all kinds of justifications and rationalizations for how I spend my time, but “after all is said and done,” I desire to use more of it to help usher people into the Kingdom of God so that they can experience the love I have experienced.
If you think of it, please pray for me in this matter.
Peace,
Ted
It is so easy for me to rush ahead of Jesus and take the lead instead of following Him. When I take the lead (as I often try to do), I head toward all the desires of self instead of those of God. Recently, I have been praying for Him to order my steps daily and remind me to follow in His footsteps. It has still been hard for me to stay on that path, but I know that I can do all things through Christ, and that I am a work in progress in the hands of the Lord. As He continues to mold and make me more conformed to the image of His beloved Son, I know that one day I will walk more steps on that path than off. I will most certainly be praying for you.
Love in Christ,
Jayne