Redeeming Time (Part One)

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16).

One of the most fascinating yet equally scary quotes I have ever heard is by the late Myles Munroe. He was a celebrated preacher, best-selling author, and successful businessman. Several generations to come will remember his work. This quote from his book ‘Understanding Your Potential: Discovering the Inner You’ said,

“The wealthiest place in the world is not the gold mines of South America or the oil fields of Iraq or Iran. They are not the diamond mines of South Africa or the banks of the world. The wealthiest place on the planet is just down the road. It is the cemetery. There lie buried companies that were never started, inventions that were never made, bestselling books that were never written, and masterpieces that were never painted. In the cemetery is buried the greatest treasure of untapped potential.”

Reaching your life’s end and looking back with regret can paralyze someone with fear. In a personality study by Saybrook University, the researchers found that up to 90% of adults feel a deep sense of regret about lost opportunities. Unfortunately, “the more they dwell on it, the worse their quality of life tends to get” because “wallowing in regret can lead to feeling stressed, anxious, unhappy about life and even impact physical health.”

We lose opportunities for various reasons such as hesitation like we saw in the story of Moses in a previous blog, blatant disobedience, ignorant wastage of time and many others. This loss of opportunities is the reason behind the gracious blessing of being able to ‘redeem the time.’ God understands our limitations, not just because He is merciful, but also because He knows how He made us – shortcomings and all (Psalm 86:15) and even gives us ways to overcome them (1 Corinthians 10:13). When we give our mess to Him and surrender to His leading, He can take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it for our good (Genesis 50:20).

Definition of redeeming the time

Ephesians, chapter 5 from verse 8, gives a simple but wonderfully complex description of what this means. Verses 8-10 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” The appeal here is that God acknowledges that we may have had ‘missteps’ – to put it lightly, especially when I think about my past. But He now expects that since we have found the light, let’s move from where we are as He helps us find our way. The next verse says, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” We sometimes equate making money, living well, having influence, and all that, with the assumption that God is with us. If we aren’t walking in our purpose and instead pursuing our desires, it is what the Bible calls ‘unfruitful’ (Ephesians 5:11).

Paul then gets to the critical point of the epistle and writes, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). The concept of circumspection is simply about being cautious and prudent. Its Latin root means ‘look around.’ When we walk in sin, we do as we please without much direction or doing whatever seems good for us. This phenomenon is becoming increasingly common in various parts of the world. However, when we come into the light that Jesus shines on us, we have to carry that gift with a lot of reverence gracefully. We switch over from gratifying ourselves to glorifying our Father. This turnaround is one aspect of redeeming the time.

The second aspect is that we take back stewardship of what God put in our care. Note that I say ‘stewardship’ and not ‘ownership’ because we never belong to ourselves (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). When we walk in darkness, we are slaves of sin (John 8:34). We don’t own ourselves, and therefore we don’t own our time either. Whatever we have is available for use in sin. For example, when someone commits adultery, their time, money, and effort go into ensuring they continue to enjoy what they have while keeping it under wraps as best they can. This kind of effort takes away from being faithful to your spouse, which involves living daily, fighting temptation, and staying loyal to the covenant made at the altar. Our existence will serve God or the devil – there is no in-between (Romans 6:16). Therefore, when we’re redeeming time, we give ourselves back to God – our true owner – and let Him guide our lives as He wills.

Importance of redeeming the time

The overarching importance is that we belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). Christ’s sacrifice purchased us all back to God. This sacrifice was the ultimate redemption. When we give ourselves back to God, we allow Him to direct our paths toward the destiny He intends for us. Because He is all-knowing and all-powerful, He can ensure that you succeed to the point that it almost feels like you lost no time. I have seen this happen in my own life, and it’s incredibly humbling. The fact that I could get pregnant at 19, have my child, still, get back to school, study to Masters level by age 25, be married by 27, and still plan on furthering my education before I’m 30 is a testimony that God is a redeemer of time. How he does it isn’t any of our business. What’s important is that He does.

Redeeming time is also crucial as stated by a popular passage in scripture which says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). There is not a single day until Christ comes back that the devil will ever be a gracious master. It is against his very nature. His intention is always to steal, kill or destroy. Even if it isn’t immediately apparent, in the long run, it will be clear as day why ‘making a deal with the devil’ is a phrase with a profoundly negative connotation.  From this verse, it means that when we are slaves to sin – and the devil – he steals our time. He does this in one of two ways: distract or destroy. First, he could distract us from our lives’ central purpose and keep us busy doing everything except what God has called us to do, causing a delay in our attaining God-given blessings or obeying His instructions. Secondly, he could destroy our purpose by taking away resources that God gave us to fulfill our mission on earth, such as strategic connections, material resources, or our health. When we realign ourselves to God, he directs our steps in a way that ensures that we’re being fruitful in our endeavors (Ephesians 5:11). Afterall, “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Acknowledging that life is short is also critical to redeeming time. The Bible describes the short span of man’s life as a mist (James 4:14), smoke (Psalm 102:3), and a shadow (Psalm 144:4). This realization helps us to put into perspective the fact that we’re here for a reason and the only place we can find that reason is in The One who made us. When we redeem the time, we find fulfillment at the end of our lives, knowing that we did all we could and can now rest knowing that nothing remains undone. The late Myles Munroe would say, “Don’t die old. Die empty. That’s the goal of life. Go to the cemetery and disappoint the graveyard.” Since we already know that death has no power over us (1 Corinthians 15:55), we must live in that victory, so in this life and the next, God can say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:23).

Finally, as we do what God expects of us in this short life, we should desire to leave a legacy for those who come after us. Life isn’t a race. It’s a relay. Psalm 78:4 phrases it well: “We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.” Our work in our time indisputably affects those who come after us. What if you’re the preschool teacher who will encourage the invention capabilities of that child? What if you’re the businessman whose philanthropy ensures a village never lacks clean water? What if you’re the evangelist who will bring a generation to the knowledge of Christ? Questions like these are so daunting, but we must ask them. God knows who will benefit from your obedience. Listen to Him. He knows why He’s nudging you in that direction.

Conclusion

The aim of redeeming time is never for our own sake but that of others. God calls us for the benefit of other people; it’s the only way we can live a fulfilled life. When we feel the nudge to pursue a particular purpose in life, and we have peace about it, as scary as it may be, it is usually our place of provision. Take the step of faith and look to the one who is “the originator and perfecter of the faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

Verse for the week:

Psalm 90:12

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.