Time – A Gift of Great Worth

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12, ESV)

God has blessed us, His creatures, with innumerable gifts, but the most precious, I feel, is the gift of time. Time is a treasure of great worth. When we are aware of the great worth, the weightiness of time, we will inevitably be mindful of how we spend it. But we will also be mindful of the One who has gifted us with this precious commodity. Our creator God has given us the breath in our lungs so that we can live and enjoy this treasure called time. He has also given us a measure of time on this earth. In Psalm 39, David asks God to remind him of the brevity of His life. David understood how fleeting life is, so he asked God to remind him of this. To give him a “wake-up call.” To sound the alarm so that he is aware of the vain and futile things that he spends his time on.

‘Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. Psalm 39:4-5 (ESV)

Wise Custodian and Protector

When we understand that time is a precious commodity and that our time on earth is fleeting, we will be inclined to spend it wisely. We will be inclined to steward it wisely. To be a wise custodian and protector of this gift.

When we steward this gift wisely, we invest our time in that which gives us a good return on our investment. In that which has eternal value. That which honours God. This should be the standard we use to gauge whether the activities we participate in have eternal value. This should be an antenna that sends a signal that tags the activity as “God-honouring” or “Unwise Stewardship.”

So when we indulge in endless scrolling on social media, watching mind-numbing videos on various platforms, spending time with friends who, instead of enriching our lives, deplete us emotionally and physically, or when we follow a path that God did not intend for us, our antenna should be tuned to God’s frequency so that we refrain from those activities that do not honour the Giver of this treasure of great worth – Time.

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. (James 4:14, ESV)

Reflection 

I would like to invite you to think about how you spend the precious gift of time God has given you. Are there any habits that you indulge in that are not honouring God? Habits that erode your spiritual life so that you don’t see the things of eternal value that God has for you?

Prayer

Thank You, Lord, for the precious gift of time. Open my eyes, Lord, to see the brevity of the time You have given me and, at the same time, see the immeasurable worth of this gift of time. Help me use my time wisely. Help me to spend my time on things that have eternal value. Things that honour You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.