Wasting Time

Read Ephesians 5: 8-20

So be careful how you act; these are difficult days. Don't be fools; be wise; make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to find out and do whatever the Lord wants you to. Don't drink too much wine, for many evils lie along that path; be filled instead with the Holy Spirit, and controlled by him.

Talk with each other much about the Lord, quoting psalms and hymns and singing sacred songs, making music in your hearts to the Lord. Always give thanks for everything to our God and Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:15-20 (TLB)

Renny Gehman lives in Texas. Renny would say that she manages her time well, so it startled her recently to discover she had wasted an entire week! She couldn't believe it, but there it was on her cellphone app usage report: solitaire - seven days, 10 hours, 13 minutes. She had wasted an entire week playing solitaire.

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul urged believers to use their time carefully. He exhorted them to follow the example of Christ and to seek God's will when deciding what activities to pursue. Paul advised that we spend time worshiping God, encouraging one another, and singing songs of thanks and praise.

What could Renny have done instead of playing solitaire? What if she had studied the Bible or memorized scripture during those seven days, 10 hours and 13 minutes? Suppose she had called church members who are lonely, written encouraging notes, prayed for missionaries, or volunteered in places where she could share the good news. It's the small, unnoticed distractions that can take up the time the Lord grants us. Some distractions steal opportunities and others hinder obedience. When we carefully examine our walk, we can make sure each step follows Christ.

Prayer: Dear Father, help us to spend our time wisely, doing things that build up others and glorify you. Give us courage to imitate Jesus. We pray in His name. Amen.