One thing we are very good at doing is making plans. Some folks are quite effective at implementing their plans while others suck at it. There is really nothing wrong with making plans. The Word of God says “write down this vision and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it” – Habakkuk 2:2. To run with a vision we need a plan. The tragedy of a plan is the one that is done without the preeminence of God. God must always be in our plans. Another downside of plans is when they are made without regard to time. Our time is not ours. We do not own our time. In fact, we do not have any time. There is no time. “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” -Ephesians 5:15-16.
We are asked to redeem the time because the days are evil. Whatever time we think we have is time given to us as gift from God. It must be used wisely because it is not under our own control. My wife celebrated another birthday this week. Initially we were all happy and looking for ways we can celebrate the goodness of God that has kept her alive for us to enjoy more of her presence with us. Anyone that lives to see another birthday in this covid era must be appreciative of the special gift of life. She was happy, until night fall when I noticed she was in a pensive mood. I asked what the problem was. Her answer was that she just realized she is getting old, and it has gotten her thinking about how fast the time is running. I told her to ask God to slow the hands of time. A naked truth hit both of us in the face. We do not control time. If only we did, we could ask it to hold on a bit so we can do some of those things we want to do.
There is no time, so it is time for us to redeem the time. It is time for us to take stock of how we live. This time is the time to take advantage of every opportunity we have, to live a purposeful life. The time right here is the time to stop being foolish and to live wisely. This is the time to stop holding grudges and start walking in love, walking in the light of God, and walking in the wisdom of God. This is precisely what Apostle Paul was telling us in Ephesians 5. We are children of light, and we must live as such.
Many of us think we have time. Many of us have the right heart, we know Jesus, we know God, but we do not have faith in Him. Our faithlessness drives us into a lot of sins. We know Jesus died on the cross for our sins. We know that His death is the ultimate of grace for us. So, we know we have a lot of grace, but we make a big mistake as we believe that the grace will continue to abound even as we continue to sin. The time is now, as Paul clearly spelt out in 2 Corinthians 6:2 – “now is the time of favor, now is the day of salvation”. Postponing the day of our reconciliation will cost us. Many will lose their souls and will never be able to find it. We have an opportunity now to be reconciled to God, and we must take it now, else we miss it. This is the time we “must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” – John 9:4.
A big tragedy happened in Nigeria this week. A 21-story building which was still under construction collapsed with many workers buried in the rubble. Amongst those whose bodies have been retrieved, more than 40 so far, from the rubble is the developer of the building. A man that was at the pinnacle of his carrier. He has built many apartments in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Nigeria. He was building three towers at the same time in the same area in Nigeria: 14, 16, and 21 floors. He had plans, many plans, but unknown to him was that, on that fateful day his life would be asked of him. Another real estate developer was buried in that rubble. He was based in the United States and planned to return to the USA that day, but it was not to be. His momentous trip to the site of the 21-story building ended in the collapse of the building and the loss of his life.
The Word of God says “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare” – 2 Peter 3:10. When that time comes, it will be too late to right wrongs and too late to do good. We must get to work now. This is the time of God’s favor, and this is the day of salvation. Let us seize this moment to walk in love, light, and wisdom. Time is of the essence because there is no time.
November 7, 2021 – Pastor Simbo Odunaiya
