“All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16)

Life – given and sustained by my Heavenly Father. Earthly days – the currency of that life – moments, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months that turn into years, years that turn into a lifetime in the blink of an eye – each and every day a gift from the Giver of all good gifts.

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

So how am I spending my God-given days? What am I doing with the mundane moments of my God given life? Am I recognizing the miraculous potential contained within each mundane moment of my oh so ordinary days? If these days are the currency that has been entrusted specifically and uniquely to me, I had better be spending them wisely. I will make Moses’s prayer in Psalm 90 my own –

“Teach me to number my days aright, that I may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

As I think about “numbering my days”, including the moments and the hours of which my days consist, the words of a favorite hymn come to mind –

“Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise”

That seems a worthy way to spend my time – praising God. All of creation does this continuously –

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4)

However, I feel like one of the servants in the story Jesus told His disciples about the talents. (talents were a measure of money or currency at that time) The owner was going away on a trip for an unspecified length of time. He entrusted each servant with money to manage on the owner’s behalf in his absence. One servant received five talents, another servant two talents and a third servant received one talent. No one knew when the owner would return. It was up to them to use what they had been given as productively as they possibly could in the owner’s absence.

Like the servants in this story, I don’t know when “the number of my days” will come to an end or when my Savior will return. I don’t know which will happen first, but either way, when either of those things does take place, my opportunity for making good use of the days I have been given will come to an end. I will be asked – “How did you spend them? How did you spend the “number of your days” that God graciously granted to you?”

How am I spending them now? Ephesians has some good advice for me on this subject.

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk . . . Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:15-21)

I certainly do want to “make the most of every opportunity” that God gives me to serve His purposes – because His purposes are always good. Mine, not so much. Mine can be selfish and self-centered. But God’s plans are for our good, “plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Some translations say “redeeming the time” which reminds me just how important it is that I use the time I have been given wisely and to the full, not wasting one moment of it. Even the most ordinary moments are filled with extraordinary promise and potential if I just have eyes to see what possibilities God has placed within them. How shall I spend the moments of my God-given days? Romans has some good suggestions for me.

“Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. . . . as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath . . . Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:9-21)

Ok, if I am wondering how to spend my time, my hours and my days – I think the suggestions above will keep me busy twenty-four/seven. Being joyful and patient, praying, sharing, blessing, rejoicing, mourning, practicing hospitality, honoring others, serving the Lord – all good ways for me to be “redeeming the time” God has given me. Like the two faithful servants in the parable, I need to be about my Master’s business while I await His return. In Thessalonians I read –

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

How am I spending my time, the currency given to me by my Master, while I am waiting for my Master’s return or for “all the days ordained for me” to come to pass? The days certainly are evil. I want to be making the most of every opportunity God gives to me. And I have this promise from His Word –

“May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

He will “keep me blameless” at His return. I am thankful for that assurance. I don’t want to be like the guy who was busy building bigger barns for himself and all his stuff when “all the days ordained for him” came to an end. He had been busy with his own business, not God’s. He stored up treasure here on earth “where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.” That didn’t work out all that well for him. I want to be storing up treasure in heaven “where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

I don’t know the “number of my days” or when Jesus will return. But I do know I want to be redeeming this time, rather than wasting this gift I have been given. The story in Mark 13 describes my current situation and yours, too, dear readers. I read –

“It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore, keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back – whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.” (Mark 13:34-36)

I have an assigned task – I want to be found engaged in that sacred assignment rather than in some frivolous pursuit when my time is up. This parable from Luke encourages me to do just that.

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. . . . It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.” (Luke 12:35-38)

Oh Lord, whenever You come or call me home – may You find me watching, waiting and ready – using the talents You have entrusted to me, busy about Your business not my own. May You find me redeeming the time for the days are evil.

sincerely, Grace Day