Value of Time

VALUE OF TIME

TEXT:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 1Chronicle 12:32, Psalms 31:15, Ecclesiastes 3:11

MEMORY VERSE:

Ephesians 5:15 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,” 16 – “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

Introduction: Redeeming the time is to improve on how you spend your time here on earth. It means to make the most out of every opportunity and to ensure not a single time is wasted on things that make us sin or take us out of God’s will or plan. God’s children must understand that God has apportioned a time (season/period) for everything and so must manage their time wisely not like the people of the world. Our time is our life, and how we spend it shapes our character, happiness, our success and future. As seen in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, – To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven… Even God is a God of times and season. Time therefore, is a moment, a measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues; a period something is suppose to happen. Time value is significantly related to human success and advancement. (And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; – 1Chronicles 12:32a). As explained from the scripture above, the children of Issachar had an understanding of the times, they acted on their understanding without procrastination and recorded success. The problem with time is that it flows freely. You can’t stop it from flowing. You can’t store it like electricity, water, or food. As they say, “You can’t turn back the hands of time”. Life is too short to spend on things that won’t help us grow physically and spiritually. So, learn how to spend your time wisely because there will come a point in your life when it is too late like the case of the five foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-10).

WHY TREASURE TIME?

Time is a thing that is exceedingly precious. For this reason, we must greatly value time and be exceedingly careful that it be not lost.  To value time is to hold it in high esteem, prioritize the things that are of relevance to your spiritual and physical growth; ensuring that virtues are maintained, be purpose driven, heaven minded, and accountable.

Marc Levy, a French novelist once said:

If you want to know the value of one year, just ask a student who failed a course.

If you want to know the value of one month, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby…

If you want to know the value of one minute, ask the person who just missed the bus.

If you want to know the value of one second, ask the person who just escaped death in a car accident.

And if you want to know the value of one-hundredth of a second, ask the athlete who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Making the most of every opportunity literally means “redeeming the time.” We are all given an equal amount of time each day. How we use it determines its value. When we redeem the time for Christ, we place the utmost value upon it. Every minute we use to share our faith in Christ is priceless and of eternal value. The following reasons further points to why we should treasure time:

1. It is a precious gift. A happy or miserable eternity depends on the good or ill improvement of it. Things are valued in proportion to their importance. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal – 2Corinthians 4:18
2. Great concerns must be attended to – John 9:4, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Esther 4:14
3. Life is short but duty is great – Boost not thyself for tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth – Proverbs 27:1. The shortness of time has indeed called for value placement, Job 16:22, Job 9:25-26. The scarcity of any commodity occasions men to set higher value upon it, especially when it is necessary and they cannot do without it. James 4:14 says “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” The work we have to do to prepare for eternity must be done on time, or it never can be done.
4. Uncertainty of tomorrow: Proverbs 27:1, James 4:13-14. We know not how little or much of our time remains; whether a year, or several years, or only a month, a week, or a day. We are uncertain of our next moment, today could be your last opportunity.
5. Lost time cannot be recovered: you must treasure the time you have because when it is past, it cannot be recovered. There is a time of sowing and harvesting – Ecclesiastes 3:12

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE TIED TO SEASONS AND TIME: Daniel 2:21

All time is not of equal value. There are opportunities attached to seasons and times. When you miss it, it may be gone. Man, in his nature is limited to time. No man has come to live on earth forever. The value attached to your time is an added advantage in getting your work done. Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. Daniel 2:21 – “And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding”

SIGNS THAT YOU ARE A TIME WASTER

There are certain events that serves as an indicator that you are a waster of this divine but scarce resource called ‘time’

1. Procrastination: Proverbs 27:1, Proverbs 21:5 – procrastination is a destiny killer and a dream hijacker. That time you think you don’t have is what others are using. You keep procrastinating your salvation, the services you must render; the evangelism, the prayers, the follow-up, even the songs you want to sing for God, the books you want to write to bless and impact the souls of men. This is the time to act or bring all that to pass, tomorrow may never come.
2. Laziness: Proverbs 6:6-8. Laziness has caused many their opportunities. When you value time, you become a channel for usage in the hand of God. God hates laziness/slothfulness (Matthew 25:26, Hebrews 6:12).
3. Pleasing Men than God with your Time: The most important thing one can do with his time is to work/contribute to the kingdom of God. One may ask, ‘does it mean I can’t work for myself again’? The utility of time is not tied to a particular location. One can work for God even in his/her place of work (occupation). What is your contribution to the work force of God? Is God pleased with your time utility? Questions for self-examination.
4. Staying busy to the detriment of God’s work: Being busy all the time is not a sign that you have time value. You can be busy but guilty of time wastage. The big question is, what is the quality of the things that keeps you busy? Are they on track?
5. Working without Set Goals: You must set priorities, organize and set goals that align with purpose achievement.

FACTS ABOUT THE VALUE OF TIME

1. Every day given to you comes with a purpose to pursue
2. You don’t leave everything to chance
3. You were created for something, you will give account
4. You don’t have all the time, act fast
5. The number of years you lived will not be an excuse

CONCLUSION

Time is a precious gift from God, we will give account for its usage. You gradually become what you spend your time most on. God is calling us to act fast and redeem the time for the days are evil.

Questions: 1. what takes your time the most?

                       2. How do you redeem the time?

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