Doesn't it feel like the older we get, the current of time seems to rush by even faster? Childhood days stretched out like endless summers, but now, weeks blur into months, leaving us with a longing to slow down and savor each precious moment. While we can't command the clock, Scripture offers profound wisdom on how we can intentionally engage with the time we've been given.
Ephesians 5:15-19 NLT[15] So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. [16] Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. [17] Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. [18] Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, [19] singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
The urgency in "be careful" underscores the need for deliberate living, especially for followers of Jesus. To ignore this call to mindful action is, indeed, to walk unwisely.
In verse 16 the author, the Apostle Paul, uses the Greek word exagorazó, which in the NLT is translated and rendered as "make the most of every opportunity." This isn't about managing minutes and seconds, but about seizing opportunities, buying them back from wastefulness for a higher purpose. This aligns with the concept of the opportune or God’s appointed time. These aren't just moments ticking by; they are God-given windows of opportunity to live out His will.
Consider what the Psalmist wrote.
Psalms 90:12 NLT Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
Recognizing the brevity of life should cause us to want to use our time wisely, seeking God's perspective on how to invest it.
James 4:14 NLT How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.
This should compel us to make the most of every moment.
We are called to be active participants in God's plan, seizing every moment that comes our way. This isn't about frantic activity, but about discerning God's will and aligning our actions with it.
Ephesians 5:15-17 NLT 15] So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. [16] Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. [17] Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
Here’s what Jesus said.
John 9:4 NLT We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.
There's a sense of urgency in Jesus' words, highlighting the limited time we have to fulfill God's purposes.
These opportune moments are precious because "the days are evil". This doesn't necessarily mean every moment is wicked, but rather that we live in a fallen world filled with distractions and temptations that can easily lead us astray and cause us to waste our time on things that don't matter eternally. Therefore, we must be even more intentional about how we use the time God has entrusted to us.
Don’t allow these divinely appointed moments to slip through our fingers unnoticed or unutilized. Instead, let's cultivate a heart of wisdom, seeking to understand God's will and embracing each opportunity with purpose, intention, and a deep awareness of the fleeting nature of our earthly journey.
Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT[8] God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. [9] Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. [10] For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Ephesians 5:15-19 NLT[15] So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. [16] Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. [17] Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. [18] Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, [19] singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
The urgency in "be careful" underscores the need for deliberate living, especially for followers of Jesus. To ignore this call to mindful action is, indeed, to walk unwisely.
In verse 16 the author, the Apostle Paul, uses the Greek word exagorazó, which in the NLT is translated and rendered as "make the most of every opportunity." This isn't about managing minutes and seconds, but about seizing opportunities, buying them back from wastefulness for a higher purpose. This aligns with the concept of the opportune or God’s appointed time. These aren't just moments ticking by; they are God-given windows of opportunity to live out His will.
Consider what the Psalmist wrote.
Psalms 90:12 NLT Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
Recognizing the brevity of life should cause us to want to use our time wisely, seeking God's perspective on how to invest it.
James 4:14 NLT How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.
This should compel us to make the most of every moment.
We are called to be active participants in God's plan, seizing every moment that comes our way. This isn't about frantic activity, but about discerning God's will and aligning our actions with it.
Ephesians 5:15-17 NLT 15] So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. [16] Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. [17] Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
Here’s what Jesus said.
John 9:4 NLT We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.
There's a sense of urgency in Jesus' words, highlighting the limited time we have to fulfill God's purposes.
These opportune moments are precious because "the days are evil". This doesn't necessarily mean every moment is wicked, but rather that we live in a fallen world filled with distractions and temptations that can easily lead us astray and cause us to waste our time on things that don't matter eternally. Therefore, we must be even more intentional about how we use the time God has entrusted to us.
Don’t allow these divinely appointed moments to slip through our fingers unnoticed or unutilized. Instead, let's cultivate a heart of wisdom, seeking to understand God's will and embracing each opportunity with purpose, intention, and a deep awareness of the fleeting nature of our earthly journey.
Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT[8] God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. [9] Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. [10] For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
RSS Feed