March 17, 2024
One of the most common statements I hear in my job as Chaplain is, “I meant to_______.” “I meant to sign up, I meant to mail this or that, I intended to get involved or I wanted to take part in a particular event.” The wording may change, but the result is the same. Folks had every intention of doing something but never got around to doing it and then when the deadline has passed, they want to participate anyway. The problem is the deadline has passed. It’s too late to sign up. Turney Center isn’t the only place where these statements are made. In fact, I have a made them a few times myself. It seems as I get older, my short-term memory gets worse. If I don’t complete the activity that is on my mind at a particular moment, chances are, I will forget about it and that activity will either be incomplete or will be forgotten entirely. I have made it a point to carry a little notebook around with me to write things down. In theory, this is a good idea. The problem is, I end up forgetting to look at my notebook or, I lay my notebook on the dresser when I come home and forget to pick it up and take it with me the next morning, thus nearly ensuring I will forget to do something I intended to do. I don’t know a good solution to this problem, but I do know the Bible talks about it. Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:15-16 : “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” That word circumspectly means to “pay attention” while we walk or to “walk carefully”. The phrase “redeeming the time” literally means to “buy back” our time. There are so many time stealers out there and most of them aren’t bad or sinful in and of themselves. The problem is, we get so busy, instead of redeeming our time, we end up at the very least working on things that aren’t productive or at worst, we waste so much time, we run out of time to do those things we intended to do. I don’t know what it is you intend to do. For the most part, I know what I intend to do. The question is, will we get these things done? I also know there will come a time when it will be too late to do those things we intended to do. I need to do better. Maybe you do too. Let’s get busy redeeming our time.
Be blessed and then go be a blessing . . . Bro. Andy
