ARE YOU WISELY USING THE TIME ALLOTMENT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU?

SCRIPTURE:
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 
making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”  
(Ephesians 5:15-16)

MEDITATION:
We have heard a lot about Godly wisdom and how we should pursue it.
The scriptures tell us,
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, 
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

Pause for a moment and re-read this scripture.
We are told that knowledge of the Holy One IS understanding,
but fear of the Lord is only the BEGINNING of wisdom.
That means when we 'fear the Lord' we are on the brink of gaining wisdom.

Using deductive reasoning, there are steps to attaining Godly wisdom.
First of all, we need to gather ‘knowledge of the Holy One’.
Until we know a lot about Him, we will not be able to understand Him better.
How do we gather this knowledge about Him?
We attain this knowledge through reading His Word, right?

Once we understand Him better, 
then we know what having a ‘fear of Him’ really means.
If we don’t really know Him, then how can we develop respect for Him?
If we don’t know Him, then how can we have reverence for Him?
Without knowing enough about Him, how will we know 
the consequences of making choices that are not in alignment with His Will?
We need to know His Will in order to make choices within His boundaries.

After getting to know Him, 
we have a better understanding of His likes and dislikes.
This helps us to understand 
the consequences of making choices outside of His Will.
When we know Him, we understand the components of ‘fearing the Lord’.
As we develop a 'fear of the Lord', we can embark on achieving Godly wisdom.

Once we have wisdom, how are our lives changed?
We start living a life in a manner that pleases God 
and not in an unwise manner that displeases Him.
In fact, we look for, and make the most of every opportunity to please Him.
We also understand the need for pointing others to Jesus 
in the midst of the evil world we live in.
If followers of Christ do not point others to Him, then who will?

God has given every individual a very small piece of eternity called 'time'.
When we exercise wisdom, we will manage our time wisely.
We are given moments of opportunities for our benefit and for God’s glory.
We benefit by receiving His blessings for making wise choices, 
and He receives glory whenever we tell others about Jesus, 
and point them to Him.

Henry Thoreau cautioned, “You cannot kill time without injuring eternity.” 
Carlyle said, “He who has no vision of eternity, has no hold on time.” 
Every believer should remember, 
“Only one life, and it will soon be past; 
only what’s done for Christ will last”. 

ACTION:
How are you using the time God has given you?
Are you using your time wisely or unwisely?
How much do you know and understand about God?
Have you given any thought to achieving Godly wisdom?
How much time do you spend with the Lord, 
not just alone, but with other believers?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for the time You have given me. Help me to 
use my time allotment wisely. Teach me how to do the things that please 
You, and especially when it means sacrificing time I have chosen to use 
for satisfying my own selfish desires. Lord, help me to bring glory to 
You by telling others about You and pointing them to You. Until I know 
specifically what You want me to do, help me to be a witness for You by 
the way I live my life. Convict me if I have become smug and feel I am 
pleasing You even though I fail to obey Your command to meet with other 
believers to praise and worship You. Let my life leave a legacy of time 
spent with You, and for You.”