The substance of those things, which are made by Him, began in Him before all the ages of the world, not in time but with times. Time, indeed, is made with all things that are made. It is neither made before them, nor is it preferable to them, but it is co-created with them.
- Eriugena, Homily on John 1.1-14, Irish, 9th century[1]
He appointed the moon for seasons;
The sun knows its going down.
You make darkness, and it is night,
In which all the beasts of the forest creep about.
- Psalm 104.19, 20
The question of time has occupied philosophers, theologians, and physicists in all generations. It’s an important question, one every believer should ponder. Here we are, existing in time, never seeming to have enough time, and always hoping to make the most of our time, so that the time of our lives can be, well, just that—the time of our lives.
And yet how many of us can even explain time, much less describe how it is to be used? How can we make the most of something we can’t even explain and don’t understand? Where shall we turn to gain a proper understanding of time, and of how to use it?
In the secular worldview, time is regarded as the succession of moments flowing out of the past (since, as secularists believe, all time began at the “Big Bang”), through the present, and into oblivion. Time has no purpose, no direction, and no meaning. It simply is.
In this view, time is only the present moment. The past is gone and remains in memory only. The future is merely prospect; and from the perspective of secularism, that prospect is without purpose or meaning, and ultimately, bleak. The only time any of us has is the present moment. Carpe diem! Grab it before it’s gone.
But, as is increasingly evident within the secular perspective, grabbing and making the most of time means different things to different people. And frequently, when those differing aspirations clash, power is flexed, and someone wins, while someone loses.
The Christian has a different understanding of time. For the Christian, time is a gift from God, the succession of moments flowing immediately from the Word of God’s power (Heb. 1.3), through the present, and back to Him for His perusal (as in the parable of the talents, Matt. 25.14-30). God creates time, and He defines time’s rightful use.
God gives us time as a gift, moment by moment, and we offer it back to Him, moment by moment, every day of our lives. We are called to make the most of the time God gives us, lest our time be carelessly forfeited to the purposes of evil (Eph. 5.15-17).
God created everything into time, and He created time with everything else as the context in which everything exists. In that case, the cliché ways we refer to the time we are given each day tell us as much about our relationship with the Maker and Sustainer of time as with time itself: “wasting time”, “good times”, “hard times”, “the time of my life”, “not enough time”, and so forth. We know something about what such phrases mean with relationship to time, but what do they suggest about our relationship with the One in Whose hands all time rests?
It is significant that, in Ephesians 5.15-17, Paul did not say, “Make the most of your time” but “Make the most of the time.” Time is not ours. Time is from the Lord and belongs to Him. Time exists above, around, beneath, and through us all, and it is kept in place, moment by moment, only by the will of Him Who, day by day, brings the light and makes the darkness.
Each moment of time is sustained by the Word of the Lord, Who upholds all things by His power (Col. 1.16, 17; Heb. 1.3). The time you are taking to read these words is not your own; it belongs to Him Who makes and sustains it every moment of every day.
So, whether we “waste” the time or “make the most of it”, we are saying something about our regard for the Creator and Sustainer of time, and we are doing so at every moment, in every situation, no matter what we’re doing in the time allotted to us. Job reminded us that God tests us at every moment (Job 7.18). He’s looking to see how we use those moments, and whether He is glorified in them (1 Cor. 10.31).
Time is our most precious gift, as Jonathan Edwards explained. In it we love God and our neighbors, or we fail to realize God’s purpose for giving us the time of our lives.
What will the moments of time that mark the passage of this day say about your relationship with the One Who opens His hands and gives you the gift of time, moment by moment, day by day?
For Reflection
1. Why do we say that time is a “gift”?
2. What does it mean to “make the most” of the time God gives us each day?
Psalm 90.12-15 (Landas: My Faith Has Found a Resting Place)
Lord, teach us all our days to note that wisdom may be ours.
Return, O Lord, have mercy on those servants who are Yours.
Each morning let Your love appear that we for joy may sing.
And make us glad for every day You us affliction bring.
Give thanks
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
More on time
Our book, Vantage Point, offers a deeper explanation of the time of our lives and how we should use it. Order your copy by clicking here.
Thank you.
Many of you are faithful and generous in praying for and supporting Crosfigell and The Fellowship of Ailbe. Thank you. May I encourage all our readers to seek the Lord about becoming a supporter of The Fellowship of Ailbe? It’s easy to give to The Fellowship of Ailbe, and all gifts are, of course, tax-deductible. You can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal or Anedot, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
T. M. Moore, Principal
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All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[1] Bamford, p. 81.
