What is something that can be measured, but never ends; can be spent, but not saved; watched but never seen; wasted but never held?  We all have this same thing in common with Billy Graham, Bill Gates, Barack Obama, and the guy collecting cans along the side of the road.

Maybe this Bible verse will answer the riddle for you – “… walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

Each of us has the same amount of TIME every day.  It is a gift from God.  The Bible talks about time in a number of ways.  Often it talks about time in terms of seasons that pass by regularly and predictably.  Here in Ephesians, it is talking about time in terms of opportunity – “capture the opportunity” or “seize the day!”  It’s about that fraction of a second between the time you see something, and a thought registers in your brain.

I have to say, I feel a bit hypocritical about telling people how to spend time wisely, because I feel I waste a lot of time.  I really get convicted when I roll the verses from Ephesians over and over in my mind – “…do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”  If each tick of the clock is a gift from God himself, what am I doing with that gift?

Often I will look back and dwell on missed opportunities, what I should have said, what I should have done, what I was inspired to do.  For me, these quick inspirations come in short flashes.  If I don’t write them down, or act on them in that split second, they’re gone. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been speaking with someone and I get an inspiration in my head that prompts me to say something which turns out to be divinely important.  Other times, I just walk away quietly, indifferently – another missed opportunity.

One Saturday at a men’s cleanup day, I was walking across the yard of the church with a friend of mine.  We were picking up trash, straightening things up and talking while we worked.

My friend said, “Someone should really do something about those bagworms.”

I said, “Bagworms? What bagworms?”

“Don’t you see them? They are all over that tree over there.”

I couldn’t see them.  For those of you that are not familiar with bagworms, they live in evergreen trees and chew up the tree to make their cocoons.  Since they use part of the tree in the construction, the cocoons look like part of the tree.  Plus, they hide underneath where the sun does not shine.  The bad part about bagworms is that they will destroy a tree, or a whole yard full of trees, in just a few seasons.  They basically suck the life out of them.

My simple philosophy about time (and bagworms) is this: Sometimes God uses you to see something that no one else can see.  When He does that, He is telling YOU to take care of it, not someone else. It is flash of inspiration from God:  “redeem the time, for the days are evil.”

I used this tact on my friend and suggested he, not “someone,” take care of the bagworm problem on the church grounds.  He didn’t.  The trees died.  Then there wasn’t a bagworm problem anymore, there was a tree problem.

Too often, I hear people talking about how “someone should take care of” something.  Maybe you are the only one who can see the problem, and maybe you are the only one inspired to take ownership of the problem.  Maybe, if you don’t take care of it, no one else will, and the problem will grow into something more severe.

Many of the problems I tell others about, God gave to me to work on.  Others may not get excited enough to help out.  I used to get frustrated until I figured out the inspirations were specifically designed for me.  It was up to me to “redeem the time.”

So... If there’s too much litter on the road, don’t complain about it, clean it up.  If you think there is a problem in our government, run for office.  If you think there is a problem in our schools, volunteer, be a mentor!  If the taxes are too high, form a lobby to get them lowered.  You may be the only one inspired to take on the job.

His servant, Pastor Jay 

Lately, I have seen our lives being driven by a “new version” mindset.  Don’t like your phone?  No problem. There’s a new version.  Don’t like your car?  Trade it in.  Don’t like your church?  There’s a new one down the street.  Don’t like your marriage?  Get a divorce and start over.

I think we are seeing “relationship” being redefined.  Marketing people want us to have a relationship with our grocer, with our bank, with our cars and with our soft drink brands.  Did you know that if a soft drink company can get you convinced at a young age that their brand is best, you will stick with that brand for the rest of your life?  I can attest to that.  I still prefer the brand that was in tall glass bottles sitting in the wooden case on the floor of my grandfather’s kitchen.

On the internet, social media sites also focus on “relationship.”  But unlike our favorite soda brand, I see people going in and out of relationships as often as the seasons change.

Whatever happened to commitment?  I’m not talking about favorite soda brands.  What about life changing commitment that includes accountability?  When we get a job, if we don’t perform, we are called to accountability.  There are certain standards and rules we must follow or we get fired.  It is a balance of commitment and accountability.  We’re all used to that concept. 

When we get married we promise to love and cherish, until death do us part.  It’s a commitment.  Yes, there should also be accountability.  That’s why we have all of our friends and relatives come and witness our wedding.  We become committed to the whole family.  And when we start our own families, we are committed to our children.  Whether we like it or not, our spouses and our children hold us accountable.  We’re also accountable to God, especially if we are married in a church.  In Ephesians 5:21 it says we are to be “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”  That’s commitment with accountability! 

Did you know that the Bible describes our relationship with God as a marriage?  It continues in Ephesians 5: 25 saying “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”  Now that’s commitment in the picture of sacrificial love.  This is not love based on performance.  It is love, based on commitment, based on a promise.

How did Jesus love us?  He committed Himself 100%.

How much are we to love God?  Jesus said, “And you shall love the LORD your God with ALL your heart, with ALL your soul, with ALL your mind, and with ALL your strength.’ This is the first commandment,”-  Mark 12:30.  Notice FOUR TIMES the use of the word ALL.  It means 100%.  Not holding back.  Not compromising.

Compare that “ALL” command to the institution of marriage.  If I were asked what percentage of the day I am married, would I say 85%, 90%?  My wife would not appreciate that!  If I were to ask if you were a committed follower of Jesus Christ, would you say 85%, 90%?  It’s hard to find people who are even committed one hour a week on Sunday!

Being partially committed to your spouse is like being partially married.  You either are or you’re not.  We used to call it being a “two-timer.”  God calls it adultery.  Being partially committed to the faith is the same thing.  God, through the Old Testament prophets, would often speak of His followers as an adulterous nation, but not in a sexual way.  They sought other gods, other distractions, in addition to the one true God.



Why does that matter?



Jesus talks about it in Matthew 7: 21, "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven…”  Jesus goes on to explain what happens to those who don’t have a committed relationship with God.  “I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”



I never knew you!  That’s a relationship problem!  What will happen to your marriage if you only hang out with one another an hour per week?  It’s going to fade from hot to lukewarm, isn’t it?



In His letter to the church at Laodicea, Jesus says "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.  Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ —and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—“



Is this where America is today?  How is your commitment?  Are you hot or cold?







Pastor Jay Merritt