Redeem the time

« The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, « Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight… » (Mark 1:1-3)

Peter said: « The day of the Lord will come like a thief », but we might be tempted to say « Lord wait a little longer, so that I can put my things in order and get ready. » My daughter-in-law has cleaned up and put her house in order for the arrival of her baby, and so it should be for us. We should arrange things to make room for our King to come in. Why? How?

Pray: Why? Maintaining a dynamic prayer life is the fundamental goal of Christian living, but it is above all necessary to prepare to meet Jesus.

Ephesians 6:18 tells us to « pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance… »

Read: Why? Like prayer, reading is an integral part of a Christian life, it allows us to familiarize ourselves with the end times but also it allows the Holy Spirit to reveal himself in our lives.

Repent: Why? Repentance, one of the first steps in reestablishing a relationship with Jesus, requires humility. In our lives we will always be tempted, and we will also sin sometimes. Revelation 3:3 « Remember therefore how you received and heard the word, and keep it, and repent. If therefore you do not watch, I will come like a thief, and you will not know what hour I am. will come and surprise you. »

Cleanse our heart / thoughts: Why? Because impure thoughts, evil desires, envy, resentment, hatred, greed or revenge can pollute our hearts.

Redeem the time: Why? Because we take years to learn what we don’t know (logic). Then we take years to understand what we do know. Then we take years to integrate what we have understood, and finally, we take years to become what we have integrated. All of that takes time, if not a lifetime. It’s time to redeem the time and not waste it. Colossians 4:5 says « Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. » Our lifespan is relatively short so our time is precious. Your life should be spent doing what is useful and productive.

ACTION POINT: Identify the time wasters in your life. Renounce your addiction to social networks, television or other entertainment.

PRAYER TARGET: Make the Lord Master of your schedule. Pray for discipline and discernment to redeem each and every hour.