Command 41 : Await My Return | Day 287 Redeem Time While Watching!More lives were lost in this one tragedy than in any other disaster in Chicago's history. On July 24, 1915, 2,572 people on the excursion steamer Eastland were thrown into the water when the top-heavy boat slowly rolled over while still tied to the dock. Within moments, the waters were churning with frantic people, many of whom did not know how to swim. Among the horrified bystanders was a courageous man who dived into the water to rescue as many as he could. Ignoring the exhaustion that he soon began to feel, he continued to rescue those struggling to survive in the water, realizing that his opportunity to save them was limited. Time is like a coupon with an expiration date. We must redeem it before the date runs out. Peter's life was productive for the Lord. We are enriched by his epistles and his life. One of the secrets of his achievements was his watching for the return of Christ. He stated, “The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (I Peter 4:7). The fact that Christ could return at any moment should motivate each of us to make the best use of every minute that we have. Based on the brevity of life and the evil in the world, Paul wrote, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:15-17). Paul also gives this instruction in Colossians 4:5: “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time." How should we redeem time? We should redeem time by using it to carry out the great works that God designed us to accomplish. (See Ephesians 2:10.) Good works should abound in the life of every believer. They are the means of producing much fruit for God's glory, and they give evidence to the fact that we are His disciples. (See John 15:16.) When others see these good works, they will give glory to God. (See Matthew 5:16.) Despite incredible hindrances and obstacles, the Apostle Paul made the best use of his time. I am always energized to redeem the time when I read the following paraphrase of II Corinthians 6:3-10: "...We want to prove ourselves genuine ministers of God whatever we have to go through--patient endurance of troubles or even disasters, being flogged or imprisoned; being mobbed, having to work like slaves, having to go without food or sleep. ... Our sole defence [sic], our only weapon, is a life of integrity, whether we meet honour or dishonour, praise or blame. Called 'imposters' we must be true, called 'nobodies' we must be in the public eye. Never far from death, yet here we are alive, always 'going through it' yet never 'going under.' We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable. We have 'nothing to bless ourselves with' yet we bless many others with true riches. We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth having." (J. B. Phillips Translation) In our journals this week, let's list our personal responses to what has been shared in these daily e-mails about Christ's Second Coming, especially the aspect of purifying our lives by the hope of His soon return. Let's increase our watch and readiness for the return of Christ and encourage each other with this hope! |
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