Making The Most Of Every Opportunity

January 2018

Life on earth is all about time. We live by clocks, watches, appointments, deadlines, and other time-imposed pressures. There will be no such things in heaven; for heaven has no seconds, minutes, days, hours, weeks, months, years, decades or centuries. But while we live on earth we are driven by time. Ephesians 5:16 says, “Making the most of every opportunity in these evil days” (NLT). This is a great goal for all of us as we begin a new year in 2018: to use our time wisely, to make the most of every opportunity to be a blessing for Christ, and to give our all in His service.

We all have great ambitions, goals, and dreams, but how many of us accomplish greats things for the Lord in the every day moments of life? We strive for the home run, the touchdown, or the goal, but how much goes on behind the scenes, in the common ordinary things of life? All God asks from us is that we are faithful to Him every day. He will do the rest. Which one of can say we know how many years we have left? None of us are guaranteed tomorrow.

How many times do we hear people say things like, “Time got away from me. I just lost track of time. I ran out of time. I was just killing time?” The Scripture reminds us of how God views the importance of time. Think of how much Jesus did in thirty-three years, and especially in His last three years. He made the most of every opportunity. He always had time to pray to the Father; He always had to time for someone in need; He always had time for His disciples. Someone once said, “If you need something done, give it to a busy person.” The Lord Jesus said in John 9:4, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no man can work.” For we are living in the Age of Grace, and the coming of Christ is imminent.

When Raphael died at thirty-seven years of age, they carried his marvelous painting, “The Transfiguration,” only half finished, in the funeral procession as a symbol of the incompleteness of life and the brevity of time. The wise and alert one girds up his loins to seize the present in doing and daring and enjoying. Are we willing to take up the challenge this year to make the most of every opportunity? God uses those who are ready and willing.