Hello and thank you for taking a moment to read!
In the opening of my last update ("Make the Most of Prophetic Days") I encouraged readers to seize on the opportunities that God gives us to share the Gospel during these increasingly prophetic times. Today, as I sat down to craft this letter, I was immediately reminded by the instructions in Ephesians 5 to "redeem the time."
Because of my various obligations to family and ministry, doing my best to make good use of time is not a once-in-a-while after-thought. Like many of you reading this, time management is a daily exercise, so much so that calculating the expenditure of time is just part of each task or activity itself. But in this and other passages, Scripture reminds us that wise use of our time isn't optional.
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." (Ephesians 5:15-17).
Though I didn't intend to revisit this theme, the Holy Spirit would have us all to give careful attention to "redeeming the time" and there is good reason to do so as the surrounding verses there tell us.
Merriam Webster defines "circumspect" as being "careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences." This is certainly what thoughtful people do when faced with most any decision in life. Though the unsaved may consider wise and circumspect to mean "whatever gets me what I want," followers of King Jesus know that wise and circumspect for us is whatever the Lord wills - regardless of how things appear to work out in this fallen, natural world. We are to redeem the time for the Kingdom of God and realize that in a day when evil seems to be increasing so rapidly that redeemed people must resolve to live inside God's will more than ever before.
As I have been writing here, I am struck by how my own best plans for today took some unexpected turns. Two calls asking for counseling and helping a friend get connected to a virtual medical appointment online were not on my schedule. But sometimes our own "to do" lists must take a back seat to the needs of others. In fact, if I had resisted today's interruptions I would have completely missed God on all counts. Sometimes, enduring what we may take to be inconveniences or rearranging plans for how we'd use our time reveals blessings we couldn't have foreseen. While we are warned not to fall prey to the "tyranny of the urgent" as an older tract outlined, being available to extend help to others can manifest rewards for us and them. Regardless the occasion, let's be thoughtful of redeeming the time, wisely following God's leading in both our large and small decisions. We'll be eternally glad we did!
