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Over the years, I have noticed how
Father brings experiences into my life that challenge me to “practice what I
preach” in my counseling sessions. I call it “buying my theology.” A year
or so ago I was in a telephone store to replace my worn out cell phone.
When the lady began waiting on me I had a disturbance in my spirit. She was
insisting on showing me what she wanted me to buy instead of listening to
what I wanted. As she showed me this or that, I would tell her it wasn’t
what I wanted. Instead of following my description of my needs and locating
the phone that would fit, she began to modify the phone she had picked out
so it would fit my needs. It was more than I wanted to pay and it was more
phone than I cared to have. Reluctantly I went along with the suggestion it
would be better than what I had in mind. Taking it home and pouring over
the half-inch thick owner’s manual, I was even more frustrated and
confused. Adding to my frustration, the charger would not charge the
battery. I spent the entire evening struggling between the owner’s manual
and the failure to charge the battery.
The next morning I was at the store
when they opened. I returned the phone angry and annoyed. This time the
young man who waited on me began telling me of a phone he had found to be
uniquely suited to him. Pulling it from his belt he showed me its features
and it was not only exactly what I needed, it was less expensive.
Why do I tell you this story? It is
because my frustrating experience illustrates a typical example of not
listening to Father’s still small voice. I had in my mind an efficient use
of my time. I chose a certain day that I could allot a certain amount of
time to getting a phone replacement and I did not want to put any more time
and effort into the process than was absolutely necessary. Trying to “save
time” and accomplish “my goal” according to “my agenda”, I
resisted any alternative on the basis of “efficiency.” I suffered the
consequences of ignoring the fact that “my peace was disturbed” and I did
not listen to the Spirit’s leading me through the experience. What could
have been a smooth and profitably pleasant experience, without regard to
time, turned out to be a complicated, confused and frustrating ordeal by
forcing my timeframe.
If I had “listened” to what the
Spirit was saying, I would have stopped when the “red flag” of disturbed
peace became evident to me. Instead, on the basis of “saving time”
and “spending my time” more efficiently, I ignored the
disturbance of my peace and pushed on into the consequence that the Spirit
would have spared me, but turned it into a lesson for me that I had taught
to others many times.
If you do not believe in a personal
God, this article will only offend you. But if you have discovered the
beautiful character of your God includes caring for you so minutely that the
“very hairs of your head are all numbered”
by Him, you will delight in the obvious lessons He will teach you. To read
more on this and what is “The
Key to Christian Living.”
Time can be a
Subtle Idol. It is very similar to money. The world even says, “Time
is money.” You spend time and you spend money. You save time and you
save money. Often our life is reduced to the “bottom line” in
determining our worth. Efficiency is often doing things with
anticipation of the worst possibility and acting on the basis of avoiding
that perceived consequence out of fear instead of functioning in the Spirit
according to the peace of God in our heart. ("Let
the peace of God rule (umpire) your heart." Colossians 3:15)
Focusing on time and efficiency is in no way listening to God’s voice
and following the Spirit’s leading.
Yes, the Scriptures do encourage us
regarding time, but I think we have misapplied those Scriptures to
justify our “uptight” approach to living. The Word does tell us to be “redeeming
the time”, but what does that mean? “See
then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the
time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but
understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:16
“Redeeming
the time” does not mean “saving time”. If it meant
accumulating time, would we not have “time on our hands”? Perhaps you mean
by “saving time” that you would have more time to spend on something
better. Or, we try to “think ahead” to avoid what might happen which could
be a waste of our time. Regardless, this verse is not talking about looking
into the future, a thing Jesus forbids when He said, “Take
no thought for tomorrow.”
“Redeeming
the time” could be seen more clearly if we compare this context
with the other place Paul uses this phrase: “Walk
in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” In
the first text it says, “Because the days are
evil.” In the second text it says, “Walk
in wisdom toward them that are without.” So you see that
darkness is all around: evil days and evil people. The
original Greek word for "redeeming"
(exagorazomenoi) has the idea of buying up and out of the
market place. This means removing it from where it was being misused (for
evil) into an application of better use (unto God).
Now, you walk into that evil day or
among those evil people and as a child of God what do you? You snatch that
time out of the hands of the powers of darkness “redeeming
the time” unto God. Suddenly this time that was lost to God is
redeemed by the Spirit of God in you, leading you to redeem this time unto
God, by God, through God, to God and for God. In that sense, we are all
redeemers of time to God as we, the children of light, walk in a dark
world and into dark situations among people of the darkness and we redeem
the time from the darkness into the light..
The trouble comes when we operate
independently of God, living our own life our own way according to our own
idea of efficiency. Rather than being
Led by the Spirit, we instead are led by our agenda and our
own sense of spending and saving time. Remember, as far as God is
concerned, “one day is with the Lord as a
thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
When He promised Abraham a son, why
would he wait twenty-five years for Sarah to get pregnant? If God were
concerned about efficiency and time, why would he lead Israel in the
wilderness for forty years when the trip to the Promised Land could have
been made well within two years? Knowing that the Jews would fail and go
whoring after other gods, why would He take so many thousands of years to
divorce Israel? Having promised to redeem His people through the Seed
(Jesus) of Abraham, why would He wait until the time of the New Testament?
Does it really look as if God cares how long it takes? Could it be when we
are so concerned about time that we are being ungodly?
Time can be a subtle idol.
Along with money, time should be given over to God and His leading. We are
not “smart” enough to know how to use either. How about the car we need or
the house we need or the food we need or the clothes we need. His way and
His thoughts are above ours. “Seek ye first
the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you.” We must seek Him and His way in His timing.
Then all these things will be given to us. They will be given by grace and
at the correct time, but not because of our efficiency or our works
righteousness. It will seem we are always waiting on Him, but His
time is the best time.
“Dear
children, keep yourselves from idols.”
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