What are you doing with your time?
If you have a Bible nearby, take a few minutes and read Ecclesiastes 3:1-15. Before you share some of your time with my words today, I want God’s Word to sink into your soul.
Is this your first time reading Ecclesiastes 3? Perhaps you are familiar with the first eight verses, as we have heard the words on the radio for several years.
In the 1950s, Pete Seeger wrote a song entitled, “Turn, Turn. Turn.” The song became more popular in 1965 when the Byrds took over and made it a number-one billboard hit. The song features the first eight verses of today’s passage.
I love the richness of Ecclesiastes. The third chapter contains a beautiful and thought-provoking poem regarding the pattern of human life. Reading this makes my mind realize time can be a misleading dream. Time has promised solutions, which have only led to more desires. Have you ever made these statements?
I can’t wait to get my driver’s license!
I can’t wait to graduate!
I can’t wait to get a job!
I can’t wait to be married!
I can’t wait to have kids!
I can’t wait to have grandkids!
I can’t wait to retire!
I can’t wait to get out of this hospital bed.
There is an ebb and flow to life. What are you doing with the time God graciously provides? Don’t wish for the future while neglecting what the present has to offer. Today is indeed a gift of time.
There is wisdom found in using your time for the enjoyment and glory of God. How can we make our life count? Look and cherish the beauty of God each day. None of us can predict, control, or determine the future. We are stuck between time and eternity, and in that current position, we must trust God using the daily details of life to work out His plan for His glory and for our good!
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16
Does your life mirror the glory of God? What words do you speak? How do you treat others? How do you respond to setbacks? What are your priorities? How will you spend your time today?
Donald Whitney writes, “Time appears to be so plentiful that losing much of it seems inconsequential. But money is easily wasted as well. And if people threw away their money as thoughtlessly as they throw away their time, we would think them insane. Yet time is infinitely more precious than money because money can’t buy time.”- Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, p.137-138. By God’s grace, there is time today. Enjoy it.
Dave Snyder, Pastor, First Baptist Church
Local Pulse Editor’s Note:
Dave Snyder is a part of our Community Voices series. This dynamic group of Pensacola dwellers is dedicated to driving positive change in our city. They inspire progress and foster a stronger, more connected community through shared experiences, expert insights, and thoughtful perspectives on impactful topics.
Find more articles by Dave Snyder here: Dave Snyder Community Voices
