By Pr Herna Kong
As we are reaching the close of the year, we will do well to number our days wisely because we do not know how many of them we are still left with. The gift of each day to us is a blessing from God. We can use it and live it only once. Once it passes, we cannot get it back, so every today is an opportunity, and it is precious. It is no surprise then that Moses prayed to God to help him gain a heart of wisdom so that there would not be even a single day of his that would pass uselessly.
I believe none of us also wants our days to pass uselessly. Besides, we do not know whether we will still be able to wake up to tomorrow’s dawn. Especially for us believers, we have to be constantly on the watch because Christ will come again like a thief, so we do not know when He will come again (Rev. 3:3). Usually, a thief comes at a time when we are complacent, careless, asleep, not at home or at any time that we least expect him to come.
The importance of this watchfulness was also impressed on the church at Ephesus by the apostle Paul: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:15-17).
The phrase ‘making the best use of’ is derived from the Greek word ἐξαγοράζω (exagorazó), which when translated literally is, ‘redeeming’. Paul purposefully used the term ‘redeem’ to show the urgency involved, as if we had to ‘buy back’ our time because the days are evil.
Therefore, we must always be vigilant (that is, watchful) and not let our guard down for even a second, as we are accountable to God for how we live our life with the time He has given to us. How we live our life has an impact on our eternity. This begs the question then: Are we living our days in accordance with God’s will? As our answer to this question is of great significance, we will do well to take heed of what the apostle Peter says: “… live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God” (1 Pet. 4:2).
Since we realise the preciousness of our days, let us number them wisely, and use them well, with eternity in mind. To have no regret at life’s end, and have much reward in Heaven, we must redeem the time. In the words of the psalmist, let us pray: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90:12).
The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour
(Anon, Our Daily Bread).