Redeeming Your Time

Paul, in his epistle to the Ephesians, wrote, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (5:15-16). I have always been fascinated by the concept of time and  especially with the idea of redeeming the time.

Scripture uses three different words for "time" each with a distinctive emphasis. The word "chronos" is found in Acts 1:7 where Jesus said to His followers, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by His own authority." The word here depicts chronological time or the unfolding of time. We measure this with watches and calendars. A second word for time in the same verse, "kairos", may be translated seasons, epochs or opportunities. It depicts what some have identified as defining moments or special events. It is the word used by Paul in Ephesians 5:16 where we are instructed to redeem our time or make the most of our time. A third word for time is "hora" which designates a definite or distinct moment. It is used in John 2:4, where Jesus asserts, "My hour has not yet come."

In this blog, I would like to introduce the nature of "time." Among other things occurring in Genesis 1:1, no doubt, God created "time." At our conception and birth, we entered into time. We were given the gift of human life, which is a certain measure of time.

No wonder Moses wrote, "So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom " (Psalm 90:12). Again, the clock and the calendar measure our time.

By definition, time is the unfolding sequence of events in life. For us to redeem our time, it is important to the best of our ability to control the events in our lives. Hugh Prather explained, "There is a time to let things happen and a time to make things happen." Some things we can control and some things we cannot. May we have wisdom to discern the difference. Please understand, time, once lost, cannot be retrieved. Yet the ancient prophet, Joel, citing God's promise penned the hopeful statement, "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten" (Joel 2:25). His point? Only God can make up for lost time.

So, the big question is, "How can we redeem our time? "Redeem" literally means to "buy up at the market place," implying that we seize the moment or seize the opportunity. How can we do this? That is the subject of my next blog entry. I will leave you with an observation by the late Art Buchwald, "Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times--it is the only time we've got!" So what are you doing with your time?