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In basic science, I was taught that the International System of Unit (SI Unit) of time is seconds. This implies that scientifically, time is measured in seconds. On the other hand, God has set time to be the unit for measuring life. This speaks volumes of the importance of time in the fulfillment of God’s purpose for our lives since we are not meant to live on earth forever. Knowing that time is a scarce resource, we must treat life with every sense of urgency.  The Bible makes it clear that everyone is apportioned a specific time on the earth by God for their assignments. The Psalmist confirmed this in Psalm 139:16 (NIV): “Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be”. If time is a gift from God, it then implies that He would require us to account for how well we managed this very important resource. 

Knowing that time is a scarce resource, we must treat life with every sense of urgency. 

How God Values Time

According to the Scriptures, God inhabits eternity (Isaiah 57:15), although He works in time and with time. At creation, God worked based on time, therefore, He began by setting time in place – “And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5 AMP). God in His wisdom utilized time to order creation activities: “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was excellent in every way. This all happened on the sixth day.  On the seventh day, having finished his task, God rested from all his work” (Genesis 1:31; 2:2, NLT). Each day was assigned to a specific task at creation, and the seventh day was assigned to rest. Secondly, God’s promises and covenants are also tied to time. He fulfilled His promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah based on time: “Then the LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son…’” (Genesis 18:10a, NIV). Thirdly, God’s generational dealing with men is based on time. The Scripture confirms this in Matthew 1:17 saying, “There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, another fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and yet another fourteen from the Babylonian exile to Christ”.

Jesus – A Faithful Time Manager

Every man’s purpose is tied to time, and this is no exception with our Lord Jesus Christ. He pointed to this in John 9:4 when He said, “I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work”. Jesus lived with a great sense of urgency and accountability to God in the use of His time. He lived with the consciousness that He was on a mission for the Father, and that His mission was timed. In His order of priority, maximizing His allotted time on earth was a ‘must-do’. Jesus had a detailed understanding of God’s schedule for His life, therefore, He could not be derailed. We know this by His response to His brothers when they taunted Him to go show Himself to the world. “Therefore Jesus told them, ‘The right time for me has not yet come; for you, any time is right’” (John 7:6, NIV). Jesus’ understanding and use of His allotted time on earth was so thorough that He knew what to do from hour to hour.  This is revealed by John: “But Jesus answered them saying, ‘The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified’” (John 12:23). 

Why We Should Be Faithful in the Use of Time

• We will account for our allocated time on earth: One of the clearest lessons on stewardship in Scriptures was portrayed by Christ in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27). In this parable, each servant was handed some resources to do business and make profit. At their master’s return each servant was to account for how he traded with the capital given to him and the profit made. In like manner, among the resources given to us by God is time. The time, like other resources, is not ours but His. Therefore, we would account for each second entrusted to us. Knowledge of this truth should keep us on our toes as we strive to live each day and moment in His will. The Master’s response to each of us at the end of our lives here will be dependent on our responsibility in the use of the gifts and special abilities apportioned to us and in the fulfillment of our life’s assignment on this side of eternity. 
• Our life’s purpose is tied to time: Every man’s assignment on earth is tied to time. Of King David, we are told, “For when David had served God’s purpose in His own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed” (Acts 13:36, NIV). David’s purpose was timed within his own generation, and he died afterwards. Solomon also revealed the relationship between time and purpose thus: “Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment. Because to every purpose, there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him” (Ecclesiastes 8:5-6). We must be faithful and meticulous in the use of our time because we do not have ‘forever’ to fulfill our God-given assignment. Time is ticking.
• Time is a priceless resource: Time is an invaluable resource. It is for this purpose that Jesus declared, “I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). If Jesus had to make the most of time while on earth knowing its value, then you and I shouldn’t do otherwise. Christ was conscious of the fact that ‘the night is coming’ (time is running out by the day). A waste of time equals a waste of life. The Apostle Paul counseled, “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because of the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). There is no amount of money that can compensate for a wasted time which unquestionably means a wasted life. Our value for time depicts how prepared we are for eternity. 

In conclusion, if only we are aware that we are stewards – owning nothing, but custodians of heaven’s resources, then we would live not as unto ourselves but unto Him who called us. Time is a trust, and we must prove ourselves worthy of it by properly utilizing it in a way that pleases God. Be blessed!  

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