WISE USE

A dear friend of mine passed away this past year. Her life was one of encouraging others. And in her dying she taught those of us who knew her how to die well.

The joy of the Lord did not depart her in pain and suffering but grew all the richer. In her passing she has inspired bolder living for Christ. In her life she made wise use of the time speaking into the lives of others and encouraging growth in Christ.

I am certain and more convinced than ever that we need to make wise use of our time here on earth.

God’s Word is our life and anchor. Every moment is an opportunity to flesh out His Word in real life – His Word is alive and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. We need to be striving to enter into His rest (Hebrews 4).

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. We need to not allow sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talk, crude joking within our midst. Thankfulness, thanksgiving are the mandates.

What can you be thankful for today? (based on Ephesians 5: 1 – 4).

Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5: 9 – 21.

So, as we go through uncertain days resting on the certainty of Christ let us consider how we walk, making wise use of the time we have. And let us consider how to make our eventual death fruitful, how to die well.

Henri Nouwen gives us this question to ponder, “the real question for me as I consider my own death is not: how much can I still accomplish before I die, or will I be a burden to others? No, the real question is: how can I live so that my death will be fruitful for others? In other words, how can my death be a gift for my loved ones so that they can reap the fruits of my life after I have died?”