Greetings!
It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time seems to pass. It’s normally in this first newsletter of the year that I welcome everyone to the start of a new term and a new year, but as I write this I realise we are already nearly half way through Term 1 and already in March!
I think it’s true that the longer we live, the more we sense how time seems to fly. James reminds us how fleeting time can be and how short our lives really are. He writes: “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4:14)
Quite sobering words! And the truth is that when viewed in the light of eternity, our lives are short! The Bible makes it clear there are many things that we are going to have to give an account for on the day we meet The Master – what we did with our finances, how we used the gifts, talents and abilities God gave us, how we treated others etc. But I believe one of the things we are going to have to also give an account for is the way we used our time. And the interesting thing about this is, that none of us will be able to use the excuse that we didn’t have “enough” time.
“I think it’s true that the longer we live, the more we sense how time seems to fly.”
In other words, we won’t be able to use the excuse that that we weren’t given the same amount of hours in our day as someone else was given.
That means we won’t be able to use ‘time’ as an excuse for not being able to read our Bibles or for not being able to go to Church or for not spending time in prayer or for not being able to dedicate some of our time to helping others. You see it is often easy to compare ourselves to others in terms of what another person has versus what we have. This can be true about our abilities, finances, possessions – the list goes on! And the truth is there will always be someone who has more than us and there will always be someone who has less. But the interesting thing about time, certainly when you look at time as an amount of minutes in a day, is that there is no inequality here. Every one of us is given exactly the same amount of minutes in a given day. 1,440 minutes to be precise! So how are we using those minutes? And what excuses are we making for not using those minutes wisely?
In Corinthians, Paul once again reminds us that our time here on earth is short. “What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away”. (1 Corinthians 7:29-30)
When referring to this verse, Ray Stedman from Authentic Christianity writes “All Paul says here hangs on the words ‘the time is short’. While Paul did anticipate the Lord Jesus Christ returning in his lifetime, I view this as Paul referring to the general brevity of life. The longer we live the more we sense how time seems to fly. But not just Christians see that; non-Christians also speak of the shortness of time, and their reaction is, “Well, if life is so short, then let's grab all we can. Let's live life with gusto. There is nothing beyond, so let’s get all we can.” Their philosophy seems to be: “If you are going to be a passenger on the Titanic you might as well go first class. Live it up. Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.” But that's not to be the Christian's philosophy, Paul tells us.
“Clearly the Christian response is: Use your short time for eternal purposes.”
Clearly the Christian response is: Use your short time for eternal purposes. Be sure that the aim and center of your life is not just making a living, but making a life. That's what he is saying, and why he says, let those who have wives live as though they had none. He is not encouraging you to neglect your wife or your responsibilities to your children and your home. What he is saying is that we are to keep things in proper focus. Do not let maintaining your home be the major reason for your existence, or give all your time to enjoying this present life. Life has higher demands and higher challenges.
Therefore, even marriage, God-given and beautiful as it is, is not the highest choice an individual can make. If some choose not to marry, to instead pursue other standards, especially spiritual involvement, their choice should be affirmed as good and proper. No one should put them down for it. So his word to us is: Do not let things that the world around you lives for become the center of your life. Joys and sorrows are seen quite differently from the viewpoint of eternity. Success in business is not life's greatest aim, for all in this world is passing away, even its fame and glory.”
So, as we begin a new year, let’s be reminded that our time here on earth is short and make sure we are making the most of that time – the most of the 1,440 minutes that God gifts us each day – for the Glory of God’s kingdom!
David Gillman — CEO Christian Schools Tasmania