By David Oluseyi Ige
Seyi is the director of mobilization for the National Evangelical Missions Association (NEMA) in Nigeria and is the managing editor of Nigeria Missions magazine.
There is a thin line between the time invested and the time wasted, both of them have to do with spending of time. How do we differentiate?
A time wasted is when you spend your time on something that the value of the return is less than the value of the time spent. But a time invested is when the value of the return is higher than the value of the time spent.
We the emerging generation are facing a major challenge regarding the use of time. We are living in what is described as the worst and best of time.
Worst because of the hostility sponsored from the pit of hell. The enemy of the cross is employing the best of his tactics to encumber this generation; his singular purpose is to stagnate the kingdom frontiers.
Yet we are witnessing the best of time, God is passionately making His name great amongst the nations as more youths are abandoning their lives for the cause of the cross. Doors of witnessing are being opened for professionals to serve God’s purpose in their generation. The globalization and the technological breakthrough is also opening closed countries to the gospel.
Jesus said “All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end.” John 9:4( NLT)
There is a task assigned to you in this dispensation and failure to recognise it will make a man exist on earth without living God’s purpose. There is a clarion call to discover who you are in the light of God’s assignment.
The night is coming. Six months after Jesus uttered this statement the hour of darkness came and He was crucified. Many are actually living in perpetual darkness because they have not known the Light of the world.
The challenge before us is to voluntarily reach the unreached people as we take the Light of life to them. One of the hymns of old employs us to hark the voice of Jesus crying who will go and work today. The last verse of that hymn has always being a challenge to me. There is no excuse not to live a life of abandoned devotion to Jesus.
Let none hear you idly saying, there is nothing I can do
While the souls of men are dying, and the Master calls for you
Take the task He gives you gladly, let His work your pleasure be
Answer quickly when He calleth, Here am I send me send me!
God is meticulous about time. He granted TIME to credit us every morning with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this we have failed to invest to good or God’s purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.
Each day it opens a new account for us. Each night, it burns the remains of the day. If we fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss are ours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow.” You must live in the present on today’s deposits.
Invest it so as to get from it the utmost for your life and His kingdom advancement.
How do we achieve this? He is calling us to walk our talk about Him every time. He wants us to evaluate our lives frequently. As time ticks and waits for no man, likewise our lives evaporate.
When you carry out a labour of love to others, He will justly reward it, because that is not a waste of time. When you are involved in sacrificial service which rewards cannot be measured with earthly standard or currency, it may look as if you are wasting away, never mind God knows and keeps records.
Your intercessory tears for the unsaved, words of encouragement to others are never a waste. It is an investment, at the right time He will open the heavens and you will be welcomed to receive your reward as he says, “welcome thou faithful servant.”
Beloved, as we glean from His daily grace of 24hours, let’s prioritize our lives in order of profitability to God’s kingdom. That is what matters the most. The clock is running. Make the most of your one hour now.
