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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.
Ephesians 5:15-17 (ESV)
As a new theological student in UK, I was shown around the college and I was told about 3 things related to time. Time for the chapel, lectures rooms and the time for meals. At lunch time, I arrived 5 minutes late and everyone in the dining was looking at me with very strange eyes! I wondered what went wrong. Thank God I hadn’t missed my meal. Later, the following day I asked one of my colleagues, as to why people were staring at me when I came for lunch? Because you were late! He told me.
Before the present technology, people used to be busy for themselves reading newspapers. They had no time for each other as no body speaks to anybody. These days with social media, in the whole world, people are busy with smart phones, no body speaks to somebody particularly in public places. Is this what requires of us?
Ephesians 5:15-15
“15 Be very careful, then, how you live, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” KJV
“Be wise in the way you act towards those who are not believers, making good use of every opportunity you have” GNB
Apostle Paul speaks about redeeming time or making most use of every opportunity, because the days are evil. In other words, managing the time wisely because we are in bad times. (Eph. 5:16) What does Paul mean exactly? Paul warns by saying in verses 15 and 17; Be careful, then, how you live, not as unwise but as wise. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. We are instructed to watch out the way we walk, the way we speak, the way we think and the way we act. Making sure all we do are in line with the will of God.
To redeem means to buy back, to regain possession of it. Time is a God given, and no one of us knows how much we are allotted to live in this world. It is only God who knows. The Psalmist knew that the time is a God given when he said: “You saw me before I was born. The days allocated to me had all been recorded in your book, before any of them ever began He told me”. (Ps. 139:16) GNB.
When God says we should be “redeeming the time,” He wants us to live in constant awareness of doing good and making use of the time we have. Instate of wasting our days on useless pursuits that leave no lasting importance, Scripture instructs us to be diligent about doing good. “This is a true saying. I want you to give emphasis to these matters, so that those who believe in God may be concerned with giving their time to doing good deeds, which are good and useful for everyone” (Titus 3:8).
Jesus taught His disciples the necessity of redeeming the time: “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4). Jesus was diligent about keeping to His mission. He preached, taught the Word of God, healed the sick and he served the needy. That was main purpose He came. “I must preach the Good News about the Kingdom of God in other towns also, because that is what God sent me to do” (Luke 4:43). Jesus’ 33 years on earth, He changed the world because He redeemed the time.
(James 4:14) reminds us that our earthly lives are nothing than a fog that appears and then quickly disappears. Our belongings will be enjoyed by someone else and our positions will be filled by others when we are gone. Our names might be even forgotten. Therefore, we must be concerned about eternity and not the temporary things.
Nehemiah is a good example in making use of the time wisely. When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab Nehemiah’s opposition and the enemies of God’s work heard that Nehemiah was succeeding in the work the Lord had commissioned him to do. They sent him a message four times asking him to comes down to meet them in one of the villages. Nehemiah boldly responded with same answer every time: “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down”. (Nehemiah 6:3) Nehemiah knew their motives. We should know the motives of evil one, and we must carry on the work of God no matter what the situation is.
To redeem time therefore, I would like to suggest the following:
May the Lord help by giving us special grace in fulfilling His Command.
The Most Revd. Ezekiel Kondo
Archbishop/ Primate of Episcopal Church of Sudan &
Bishop of Khartoum
