Volume 8, March 26, 2006 Number 20
Next weekend we shall spring forward with the clock -in other words we’ll skip an hour. Therefore, at six in the morning, (when I usually get up to start my morning walk) it will still be dark, for a few days. As I THINK about the change, I recall the admonition to redeem the time:
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Eph. 5:15-16).
The following comment by Barnes seem to be worth considering:
Verse 16. Redeeming the time. The word here rendered redeeming, means, to purchase; to buy up from the possession or power of any one; and then to redeem, to set free–as from service or bondage. See Barnes for Ga 3:13. Here it means, to rescue or recover our time from waste; to improve it for great and important purposes:. Because the days are evil. Because the times in which you live are evil. There are many allurements and temptations that would lead you away from the proper improvement of time, and that would draw you into sin. Such were those that would tempt them to go to places of sinful indulgence and revelry, where their time would be wasted, and worse than wasted. As these temptations abounded, they ought therefore to be more especially on their guard against a sinful and unprofitable waste of time. This exhortation may be addressed to all, and is applicable to all periods. The sentiment is, that we ought to be solicitous to improve our time to some useful purpose, because there are, in an evil world, so many temptations to waste it. Time is given us for most valuable purposes. There are things enough to be done to occupy it all, and no one need have it hang heavy on his hands. He that has a soul to be saved from eternal death need not have one idle moment. He that has a heaven to win has enough to do to occupy all his time. Man has just enough given him to accomplish all the purposes which God designs, and God has not given him more than enough. They redeem their time who employ it
(1.) in gaining useful knowledge;
(2.) in doing good to others;
(3.) in employing it for the purpose of an honest livelihood for themselves and families;
(4.) in prayer and self-examination, to make the heart better;
(5.) in seeking salvation, and in endeavouring to do the will of God. They are to redeem time from all that would waste and destroy it–like recovering marshes and fens to make them rich meadows and vineyards. There is time enough wasted by each sinner to secure the salvation of the soul; time enough wasted to do all that is needful to be done to spread religion around the world, and to save the race. We should still endeavour to redeem our time for the same reasons which are suggested by the apostle–because the days are evil. There are evil influences abroad; allurements and vices that would waste time, and from which we should endeavour to rescue it. There are evil influences tending to waste time*****
Comment: Yes, there are many ways to waste our time. Let us use it wisely. The choice is ours.
—–William C. “Bill” Sexton