In today’s devotional, we will be looking at specific principles for redeeming the time. After this, we will briefly look at some teaching on this from Puritan Richard Baxter, who taught extensively on this subject from the Bible.
So far, we have been looking at what it means to redeem the time in mostly one way. We redeem the time for prayer, Bible reading and study, family worship, and good works by (1) “purchasing” or recommissioning the time from the world for dedicated service to God. That time is sanctified for the Lord, being set-apart for holy use by God (the time is holy unto God). There is also another way in which we redeem the time: (2) by bringing everything else in our lives under the authority and government of God (the principles for the rest of life). The first takes precedence over the second, and together those two represent our whole life in everything that we do. Having laid out number 1, the rest of the devotionals in this series will focus on number 2.
In the following, I will offer some biblical principles for redeeming the time. They will help give us a way to sort through all the things that we do in a given day, week, month, and year. The goal is that we go over every item that we have on our schedules, and assess each one individually according to these principles. The goal would be that we are redeeming the time for God, ultimately putting every bit of the time that we spend on this earth into its proper subjection to our Lord and Master. This assessment needs to be done regularly, and is essential to our growth to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength as He desires of us as His people. The key parts of Ephesians 5:8-21 that we will be focusing on are the following:
Walk as children of light. . . . and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. . . . But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. . . . Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
So, these principles will seek to filter through how we spend out time by (1) focusing on what is pleasing to the Lord (what He wills), (2) exposing what is not pleasing to Him, (3) being circumspective about how we use our time, so that it will be wise and (4) thus find the best use of our time, since the days are evil. If we already regularly make use of prayer and the Bible as shown in previous devotionals, then we will increasingly know what God desires of us, according to heart-obedience to His commands. So, as we jealously guard those things, and make use of the grace given to us in the public gatherings of His church, then we will become more and more equipped for how we ought to understand and flesh out these principles.
Does this honour and please God? (It should).
We can often assume that God is not concerned with everything that we do, but that is false. He desires that everything we do be something that is inherently pleasing to Him. So, if it seems neutral or grey, then we may need to examine it further. If it does not please Him, then we need to remove it.
Does this go against any command from God?
God desires that we are holy as He is. This means intentionally removing everything from our lives (and use of time) that is spent trespassing God’s commands. This can include things that encourage sloth or idleness, expose us to nudity or encourage greed, aggrandize violence, or be otherwise “good” things that rise above God.
Is your heart with God while doing this, or is it drawn away?
This is a hard one for many to understand, since it requires knowing the condition of our hearts, properly trained in Scripture. We need to become acquainted with using Scripture as a mirror, exposing what is going on in our hearts as we engage in this activity (the spirit of the law). While you are doing your activity, actively assess and monitor what is going through your mind, emotions, and desires. Try to discern where they are being pulled and if that draws you towards what God desires, or away.
Is there anything that your conscience (rightfully) condemns you for doing this?
Our consciences need to be properly trained in Scripture to be effective guides in moral things. Don’t ignore a sensitive conscience. Rather, cultivate its convictions, and investigate its nudges with Scripture to see if it has merit.
Does this replace (or tend to replace) what you should be doing for God?
Even things that would be otherwise good become evil when they replace divine mandates and duties that God has given us. Replacing things such as our Bible reading and study, prayer time, family worship, regularly gathering with our church (especially on Sunday), proper time with our spouse and kids, good works, and so on.
Does this take up a disproportional amount of your time?
God desires that our priorities line up with His, meaning things that don’t reflect proper proportionality need to be adjusted, so that we are being productive for Him. If we are not careful, even good things (like soccer practice) can crowd out far better uses of our time, such as helping the poor or needy in our church, or other like things.
What level of priority should this have when compared with God’s priorities? Does this line up with how you should use that time?
We will likely find that many things we just do are things that God does not prioritize. In that case, these things need to be cut back or eliminated to make room for better things. These things may also be things that we convinced ourselves are essential, such as watching movies regularly, playing games, frivolous shopping, or reading novels. We need to be especially careful regarding things that we see ourselves as not being able to be without, since that may point to a hidden addiction or idol. It may seem, at times, like losing an arm to reduce or rid ourselves of these things, but I can assure you that doing so is worth it. You will be glad you did so in the long run.
Is this a wise use of my time, given that my time is short?
Are there better things we should be focusing on that can make us better soldiers for the Lord? Things that can help us to better understand Him, develop our gifts, or get us to grow in things that please Him? We need to live our lives as if we will die soon. The time we have now is a drop in the bucket, when compared with eternity.
Is this the best use of my time?
When choosing between different options, we need to look at what is most pleasing and expedient for God; what is a greater work as opposed to a lesser one; so that all of our time may be spent in the best way possible, and therefore that we bear much fruit. We find out what is “best” by looking to God’s Word. We don’t need to anxiously seek a hidden path to know what is best, but make use of God’s wisdom from Scripture. This is the liberty that we have in Christ, and we can trust Him to guide us through His Word into what is the best use of our time.
Do I need to investigate further to see if this is a good use of my time?
At times, you may be unsure of whether or not something honours God. This will take things like assessing our hearts while doing the activity, searching the Scriptures, getting wise advice, and comparing it with what would be good for us to do. Be willing to put in the time here, because this is important. Often, we will come to see many moral blind spots, and this can help revolutionize how we spend our time.
As you start implementing these across the board, you will find that your life is changing, and that, while hard at the beginning, you will start seeing more of God’s blessing in your life. It will be more a life that you can look back on and be glad, having spent it for the Lord.
Before concluding, we should also briefly look at some suggestions for redeeming the time from Puritan Richard Baxter, from his Body of Divinity (vol. 2). I will only include two of his directives, but you are welcome to check out the rest for yourself (they are free online at digitalpuritan.net).
Direct IV. ‘Live continually as under the government of God; and keep conscience tender, and in the performance of its office; and always be ready to render an account to God and conscience of what you do.’ . . . . Here for the further direction of your consciences, I shall lay down a few rules, for the right spending of your time.
Spend it in nothing (as a deliberate moral act) which is not truly, directly, or remotely an act of obedience to some law of God: (of mere natural acts, which are no objects of moral choice, I speak not).
Spend it in nothing which you know must be repented of.
Spend it in nothing which you dare not, or may not warrantably pray for a blessing on from God.
Spend it in nothing which you would not review at the hour of death, by an awakened, well-informed mind.
Spend it in nothing which you would not want to hear of in the day of judgement.
Spend it in nothing which you cannot safely and comfortably be found doing, if death should surprise you in the act.
Spend it in nothing which flesh-pleasing persuades you to, against your conscience, or with a secret grudge or doubting of your consciences.
Spend it in nothing which tends to do more hurt than good: that would do a great hurt to yourself or others, under pretense of doing some little good, which perhaps may better be done another way.
Lastly, spend it in nothing which is but a smaller good, when a greater should be done.
. . . .
Direct X. ‘Sanctify all to God that you have and do, and let Holiness to the Lord, be written upon all,’ whether you eat or drink let it be intended and ordered ultimately to his glory. Make all your civil relations, possessions and employments, thus holy; designating them to the service and pleasing of God, and to the everlasting good of yourselves on others, and mixing holy meditation and prayer with them all in season (Richard Baxter, Body of Divinity, vol 2, p. 150-151, 155-156).
In the following devotionals, we will seek to apply these principles broadly, and then to many common areas. Next time, we will be looking at time-thieves that can sinfully waste our time.
Here are the questions again without the subpoints for your own personal use:
Does this honour and please God? (It should).
Does this go against any command from God?
Is your heart with God while doing this, or is it drawn away?
It there anything that your conscience (rightfully) condemns you for doing this?
Does this replace (or tend to replace) what you should be doing for God?
Does this take up a disproportional amount of your time?
What level of priority should this have when compared with God’s priorities? Does this line up with how you should use that time?
Is this a wise use of my time, given that my time is short?
Is this the best use of my time?
Do I need to investigate further to see if this is a good use of my time?