Best Use of Time

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

How do we make the best use of time? That’s a HUGE question, and one we will not cover all today. Yet there are a few points to help us as we try to make the best use of our time today.

Wisdom

Most importantly, we need to apply wisdom. We must be wise to make the best decisions about how we spend our time. How do we do that?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. Proverbs 9:10

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5

God wants us to be wise! He will give us the wisdom we need, as we honor and look to him. Scripture, the word of God, is full of His wisdom, ours for the asking. He will give us what we need each time we ask.

Time to Consider

Looking carefully does take time. We can’t assume it will magically happen as we stay busy with other things. We do need to take the time to think about our lives, what we are doing and why we are doing it. Time soaking in Scripture, time meditating on God’s word, time taking a deep breath before acting — these all help with making the best use of our time.

Remember Priorities

If we know what we should be doing and how we should be doing it in theory, but then we don’t DO it — we’ve missed the boat. Take your priorities — what you know is true and right — and apply that to your day.

Creating

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 ESV

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
Genesis 1:31a ESV

She seeks wool and flax, and works with her hands with delight.
Proverbs 31:13 NASB

A few years ago, I designed and made a quilt with photos of hands doing a variety of things — from kneading bread to laying tile to holding butterflies. A final touch included stitching two phrases from the verses above onto the top and bottom border: “In the beginning, God created” and “she works with her hands with delight.”

Our desire to create and our joy when we do so is a reflection of the image of our Creator.

In my own experience, there is a little extra energy, beauty, and delight in the day when I have the opportunity to create anything — from a complete blog post to a beautiful dinner to a polished and accurate report to a finally-finished (Hooray!) studio space to an attractive dining table centerpiece. It can be big, the result of many hours of effort, or little, like putting a child’s gift of fresh-picked weeds flowers in a small glass jar on the sunny windowsill.

What have you created today? Comment below to share your delight.