Time Waits For No Man
By Pastor Mitch
July 29, 2013
I have an affinity with sundials. Although I do not own one, they always still fascinate me. They may seem simple enough in its function but it is far more complicated in its construction. According to the Columbia Encyclopaedia, the earliest extant sundial, an Egyptian instrument of c.1500 BC, is a flat stone on which is fixed an L-shaped bar whose short vertical limb casts a shadow measured by markings on the longer horizontal limb. The sundial was greatly improved (c.1st cent. AD) by setting the gnomon parallel to the earth’s axis of rotation so that the apparent east-to-west motion of the sun governs the swing of the shadow. The gnomon is the part of the sundial that casts the shadow. The development of trigonometry permitted precise calculations for the marking of dials and stimulated the advance of gnomonics (dial marking). The sundial above indicates that the time is at 3pm. Every time, I look at a sundial, it naturally reminds me of how God created time for man and how it does not wait for any man. Each day quickly goes by unceasingly. We are already in the second half of 2013. Soon, the end…the end of the year will come. Let’s make sure that we are making full use of whatever time God has given to us.
THE CHALLENGE TO WALK CAREFULLY WITH WISDOM
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Eph. 5:15
The main challenge for the Ephesian Church raised up by the apostle Paul in this chapter is to be imitators of God as beloved children (Eph 5:1). We are to follow God by looking at how the Lord Jesus lived His life on this earth. Our Saviour and Master did not waste His time. He had a deep sense of purpose, urgency and wisdom in how He used His time to do God’s will and work (John 9:4). Paul challenged the Ephesians to live their life most wisely. They are to watch carefully how they live. They should not go back to living in the transgressions of their sinful past . If they do so, they will be going back to being just like the children of darkness rather than being children of light. That would be most foolish! The wise child of God would use His time most prudently. The Lord had given to us through His grace all the wisdom and prudence that we need to live well for Him. They can found in knowing His will (Eph. 1:8-9). Our challenge is to understand His wonderful will and to apply it by redeeming the time that God has given to us. Because we know that time is short, we should spare no small effort in “buying” back time. The days now and ahead are indeed evil. There is a great spiritual war raging on(Eph. 6:12). Let’s exercise our faith in seeking to be filled with the Divine Spirit rather than to be filled with alcoholic spirit (Eph. 5:18). Let’s ensure that we live and use our time most prudently as the Lord Jesus did according to God’s good and perfect will.
