Redeemed and Redeeming

Ephesians 5.15-21 (2)

Pray Psalm 144.3, 4, 15.
LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
Man is like a breath;
His days are like a passing shadow…
Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

Sing Psalm 144.3, 4, 15.
(Tidings: O Zion, Haste, Thy Mission High Fulfilling)
LORD, who are we, that You regard and love us?
Why should You care for our poor sinful plight?
We are but breath; You dwell on high above us; 
our days like shadows pass before Your light.
Refrain v. 15
Happy are they on whom blessings fall!
Blessed are the people who on Jesus’ mercy call!

Read Ephesians 5.15-21; meditate on verse 16.
What is time? How does one redeem it?

Preparation
1. What does Paul want us to do with the time of our lives?

2. Why should we do this?

Meditation
In my opinion, this one verse is the most important word from the Lord about being disciples. God has redeemed us—delivered us out of guilt and judgment and waste and sin. He calls us to do a similar work for the time of our lives. 

Note well: the time, not your time or our time. Time is God’s and His gift to us. Time is the framework in which all things exist moment by moment. It is the succession of moments flowing from the Word of God (Heb. 1.3), through the present, back to the throne of God as action expressed (Rom. 11.36). The only time we have is the time God gives us, and He only gives us time one moment at a time. Our duty is to seize that moment and unpack or occupy or populate or inhabit or arrange—whichever of those verbs best helps you to think about this discipline—the time God gives us for His Kingdom and glory. This is our overarching calling in life (1 Thess. 2.12) and the defining priority of it (Matt. 6.33).

The days are evil. Every moment not seized, redeemed, and used for God’s Kingdom and glory will be lost for wasteful, sinful purposes. There is no spiritual vacuum in the world. What is not won and used for knowing, enjoying, and serving God will be lost to spiritual profligacy of one form or another.

So teach us, Lord, how to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom! Show us the work we must do in every moment of our lives, and give us the grace we need that we may do it for Your glory (Ps. 90.12, 16, 17; Heb. 4.16). For then we will be Your disciples, indeed, one moment at a time, for all the time of our lives.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.16
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 
The earth was without form, and void; 
and darkness was on the face of the deep. 
And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 
Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. 
And God saw the light, that it was good; 
and God divided the light from the darkness. 
God called the light Day, 
and the darkness He called Night. 
So the evening and the morning were the first day” (Gen. 1.1-5).

From the very beginning God has been separating light and darkness.
From the very beginning He created time for His people—to function within those boundaries.

“Walk circumspectly”, He tells us. “Redeem this time that I have created for you; and beware, the days are evil. Make sure to walk in the light so you won’t stumble and fall off the Jesus Path.”

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power; for
You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (Rev. 4.11).

God, Who always was and always will be, doesn’t exist in time.
Time is the gift He has given us to organize and prioritize our doings.
Those things we long to accomplish for His sake and Kingdom—
our one profession; our one business; our Kingdom work—our reason for living.

“LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, 
or ever You had formed the earth and the world, 
even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God…
Who knows the power of Your anger?
For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
So teach us to number our days, 
that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90.1, 2, 11, 12).

Lord Jesus, help us to make each day count in doing good works for You:

That we have put to good use, generously, of all that we have for Your Kingdom (Mk. 12.44).
That You will know we have done what we could in loving service to You and Your Body (Mk. 14.8).
Make us understand (Ps. 119.27) Your purposeful creation—thus encouraged to be, and do, for Your good pleasure (Ps. 51.18, 19; Phil. 2.13).

“My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, 
and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. 
And in Your book they all were written, 
the days fashioned for me, 
when as yet there were none of them” (Ps. 139.15, 16).

These precious days are given to us as a gift, 
so that whatever we do, we do it heartily, 
as to the Lord Himself. (Col. 3.23).

Reflection
1. How do you acknowledge, in your weekly or monthly or even daily planning that all your time is a gift from God?

2. What specific activities do you pursue in redeeming the time God gives you?

3. In what ways can prayer help to make you more consistent and effective in redeeming the time?

And what shall be the price of [time’s] redemption? To withdraw from the endless variety of allurements which would easily lead us astray; to rid ourselves from the cares and pleasures of the world; and, in a word, to abandon every hindrance. Let us be eager to recover it in every possible way, and let the numerous offenses and arduous toil, which many are in the habit of alleging as an apology for indolence, serve rather to awaken our vigilance. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Ephesians 5.16

Pray Psalm 144.5-15.
Call on the Lord to bless all your efforts to serve Him and love others. Name them specifically. Ask for clear guidance and the grace you will need to redeem the time of your life for His Kingdom and glory.

Sing Psalm 144.5-15.
(Tidings: O Zion, Haste, Thy Mission High Fulfilling)
Bow down the heav’ns, come down and touch the mountains.
Flash forth like lightning; scatter all Your foes!
Send out Your arrows, send them out to rout them;
stretch forth Your hand and save us from all woes!
Refrain

From every foe and every lie deliver!
Then will we sing new songs unto Your praise.
Rescue Your servants, who are Yours forever;
grant us deliv’rance by Your hand always.
Refrain

Bless, LORD, our children, strengthen them forever.
All our provision, day by day supply.
Bless our endeavors; from distress deliver.
Keep us from harm and all distressing cries.
Refrain

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we conclude our study of the place of God’s Law in His Kingdom. Our Read Moore podcast continues working through The Gospel of the Kingdom, working to understand the true Gospel of the Lord. The Crosfigell teaching letter is pursuing the life of Brigit, a contemporary of Brendan. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.