Buy It Back
In Ephesians 5:16, Paul helps us to see time differently, so we can use it wisely. He told the Ephesians to “redeem the time.” What did and does it mean to redeem the time? In Greek, there are two words for time. The first is chronos - where we get our word chronology. Chronos is sequential time, moving time, chronological time. The other word is kairos. Kairos can be translated as a fixed moment in time. It is leveraging opportunities, that God brings our way, in order manifest our faith and his presence in the world.
When Paul said: “redeem the time,” he was not talking about buying up or buying back minutes in time, but taking advantage of moments of significance within those minutes. Every minute is a potential moment of significance. Every hour is an opportunity for God to explode it with eternal value and purpose. Biblical time management is not so much a matter of controlling the clock and calendar, but capitalizing on God-given opportunities.
Call, text, email someone to encourage them
Pray for someone
Share your faith with a co-worker, neighbor, friend
Use your gift
Get involved in your neighborhood
Open up your home
Start a movement
What about you? What other ways can you take advantage of the opportunities that God gives you on a daily basis? How can you do a better job in “redeeming the time?” Who, in your sphere of influence, could benefit from you “redeeming the time?”
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July 30th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
At home. Most importantly I can redeem my time with Matt and the kids. It is easy to get lost in the house management. Sometimes I get so caught up just worrying about me and Matt's future, how i'm going to get through the towers of boxes, how i'm going to teach Jeremiah to obey, how I'm going to convince Isaac that his parents know best, and how I'll teach Reaiah to be a Godly woman and Noah to use good reasoning and my list goes on and on and on…
I remind myself to embrace everyday moments and let God take care of the future. After all, it's at home, living everyday life that we cultivate attitudes and beliefs, and build character.
"Every moment is a potential moment of significance"… Absolutely! I will carry this with me.
July 30th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
i often have to remember that no matter how busy i am, i should never be too busy for the people God has placed in my life outside of my family. It's common for me to fail to return phone calls from friends or acquaintances because i am super busy with Chris and the kids and family obligations from day to day. i sometimes feel so overwhelmed that i simply don't have time to stay in touch with folks. but when i think about that, it sounds ridiculous. when i don't have time for human beings (outside of my family) who God places in my life and wants me to love, something's got to change. i must "redeem the time" better.
July 31st, 2009 at 4:36 am
DC, it is so easy to let the unknown eat up our significant moments, isn't it. I think letting God care for the future is a wise move. I need to let God be God, instead of me trying to tame and domesticate him. "Every minute is a potential moment of significance." Grace and peace!
July 31st, 2009 at 4:42 am
Lisa, I experience this same tension. It's funny because I am in the people business and there are times when I allow other things to displace people. But, I must see every person and event that come into my life as a potential moment of significance. I need to redeem the time better with my sister, who has had some challenges over the last several years. It's easy for me to writer her off and not be as concerned about her. God is calling me to turn my minutes into significant moments. Grace and peace!
August 7th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Redeeming the Time – Chuck Pierce, Author I started to read this and at the same time started watching a TV program through internet with this author talking about the book…chance? hardly…
August 7th, 2009 at 9:12 am
This is serving as a great reminder to remember who and what is important. I thank God for that.
August 11th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Hardly a coincidence. God knows how to get our attention, doesn't he? Glad I could be part of his plan. Grace and peace.