WISDOM WEDNESDAY

Vol. 1 Issue 10 - 4-27-22

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

- II Peter 3:18

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Greetings Church,


It is so amazing that we welcomed little Kinsley Joan into this world just a month ago. Now she is one month old and we are puzzled over where the time has gone. Yet in that time the world continues to move toward the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we find ourselves thinking about the passing of time we often take the tack that somehow we have to control it. That somehow we must be able to use it more wisely and thus control its passing and impact. When you have young children or grandchildren in your life you realize quickly that life is made up of many so called interruptions or as some would call them God moments.

Let us be mindful of our understanding of time concerning our value and our submission to our sovereign God. We looked recently at James 4:13-16 and I would encourage you to read it again. But I want to make note as a reminder of what it says in verse 14 about us. "What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." The question and answer puts into perspective our lives and what we boast in or pursue for our own sake, if we are to understand this in context. In the grand scheme of things James sets us in the realm of eternity. So as we live in light of eternity we gain understanding that our lives here on earth are but a mist, a vapor in proper perspective. Therefore, we are to use our lives, our time in a manner that is in submission to the Lord and His will, not our dreams, wants and desires. This thought, as is evident by the piercing in your heart or stomach, goes against all that we are taught to pursue in this world. The reason for this is that those who follow Christ are not of this world, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (I Peter 2:9)

So, if we are a mist, then how are we to live? How are we to use the time we have? The Apostle Paul calls us to, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1,2) Later in verses 15,16 he says, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." When you put the two together and there is much in between that helps to understand what being an imitator is all about, we see that an imitator uses time wisely. The ESV doesn't translate it as redeem the time as if we must buy it back to use over again. The time given is to be used wisely or making the most of your time or making the most of every opportunity. The use then is focused upon using our time to be faithful imitators of God. If that is the focus, which I believe it is, then we must see all the details of our day as an opportunity to imitate God. We must walk in love. We must give ourselves to others. We must offer our lives as living sacrifices.

Notice that there are two motivating factors in these verses. The first is the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus loved us by giving himself up. By laying down His life for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. As we imitate the Lord, Jesus is our example to follow. We must not follow others if they are not following Christ. We must not elevate another as our ultimate example of one who imitates God. The example can only be Jesus.

The second motivator brings us to another expression of time, "because the days are evil." The days were evil just as much then as they are now. The focus is not upon the evil times and finding despair but to focus upon being empowered to be ever more faithful to be imitators of God in the midst of evil. For it is in those times that our faith is tested to be genuine. Paul says to look carefully. To pay attention to how we are living. To walk in love, as Christ loved us. To live our lives as those who pay attention to how we love the Lord in the dailiness of our lives. To be wise not unwise, for "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."(Proverbs 9:10)

So, when life seems to be filled with many interruptions. Remember, that even then we are to be imitators of God and walk in His love and be wise in how we use the time given for that moment for His glory.

Blessings,
PBS