Stolen Time – 10 February 2009

Strangely enough we all have the same number of hours in the week (168).  The difference between how we spend them depends on our priorities.  There are a number of influences competing for our time, in my case these include my family, our Church, my job, the compelling need to watch DVDs and read the pile of books by my bedside.

Perhaps you are putting off doing something important or significant until you “have more time”?  In reality, you will never have more time than you have each day right now.  What you can do is decide which things on your “to do list” are urgent and important and which things can wait.  If you are like me, you may sometimes be exasperated and even depressed at the number of things you would do if you “had the time”.

The reality is that there is some truth in the saying that “the Devil finds work for idle hands to do”.  How often I have felt that the day has been wasted, or that I have achieved very little – usually because I have allowed myself to be sidetracked into unprofitable activity, or should I say inactivity.

Let’s resolve not to let Satan dictate our focus (or lack of focus) and let’s make the most of the next 168 hours we have.

The book of Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon (the wealthy King, son of David, who had wisdom and riches beyond anyone else).  His wisdom and wealth did not help the condition of his heart and the focus of his life.  Here are some of his reflections on the topic of time: 

Everything on earth has its own time and its own season.

There is a time for birth and death, planting and reaping,

for killing and healing, destroying and building, for crying and laughing,

weeping and dancing, for throwing stones and gathering stones,

embracing and parting.

There is a time for finding and losing, keeping and giving, for tearing and sewing,

listening and speaking. There is also a time for love and hate, for war and peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 [CEV]

Lord, help us to assign our priorities in accordance with your will, not our selfish wishes.

We give our time back to you.  Amen.