It is not up to us how we use the time that is given to us. We are like employees of a house who live and work in that place. Of course, we are much more than that, but, for the sake of some healthy self-critique, let’s pursue this metaphor. We have an allotted time given to us and a purpose to fulfil. Our time belongs to the master, and we live on his property. Imagine if we simply wandered around aimlessly doing things only to indulge ourselves. At the end of our period of employment we would be called to account, and what a terrible moment that would be when our aimless self-indulgent lives are exposed. It is a terrible thing to live without purpose. It is terrible enough to waste one day or even one meeting with another person without connecting with God’s purpose, let alone a whole life. People foolishly forfeit their purpose to pursue pleasure, and tragically that pursuit of pleasure leaves them empty in the end. What gives us real joy is fulfilling our purpose because that purpose is what we were made for. It is a grand purpose befitting our dignity as children of God and it makes all other forms of life look medial and servile. We are the heirs and officials of the Kingdom of God, and all the resources of that Kingdom are given to us to achieve its purpose. There is no life more exhilarating than this. Any other way of living is a life wasted.
Ask God’s forgiveness for the time you have wasted and commit yourself to his purpose.
Read 1 Peter 4:1-11
