August 30

God is the Master of time management. He worked for six days and accomplished the creation of all that exists! He arranged the calendar to have seven days and He rested—and admonished us to rest—on the seventh day. By the example He set, we can see that the Lord values the wise usage of time.

In Ephesians 5:14-17 the Word further states, “Awake, you who sleep! Arise from the dead (works of sin) and Christ shall give you light. In that light you will walk wisely, not as fools, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

Here we are told by Paul that God expects us to use the time He has allotted to us to acquire understanding of truth as revealed in the light of Christ and to go beyond the dead works of darkness into the fullness of serving Jesus by shining His light. Paul understood this because he had been zealous to stamp out the new off-shoot of Judaism that claimed Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah.

In His determination to maintain the purity of His faith he led many to their doom. But when he was bathed in the Lord’s blinding light, he became physically blind but spiritually illumined! He here shares with us the importance of seeing Jesus, being awake to His purposes, and serving Him in the beauty of holiness. As our day becomes steeped in the darkness of evil we must shine forth His saving light.