Thanks be to God for keeping us and allowing us to have another year. In the last few days, many have greeted us with a Happy New Year, and likewise we have said the same to so many people. Certainly, we all are looking forward to having a happy and blessed New Year, but to make a happy new year, there must be a proper use of time. Someone has pointed out, “Dost thou love life? Then waste not time, for that is the stuff that life is made of.” The apostle Paul wrote, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16 NKJV). Someone else has rightly said, “Nothing is more precious than time, and those who misspend it are the greatest prodigals.” Character may break to pieces and be built up again. Health may be lost and regained. Silver and gold might be lost but time can regain them. However, time itself cannot be recalled. The brevity and uncertainty of time emphasizes our responsibility in the way we should use it. True, nothing is more precious than time. To redeem the time means taking advantage of the available time or to buy back the neglected opportunities.
When the children of Israel were heading to the Promised Land – when they came near it, just before entering – Joshua who was leading them cautioned them by saying, “That you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before” (Joshua 3:4). They were going to enter into a new territory, and God, through His servant Joshua, was directing their travel. He would lead them right if they would follow His directions. Friends, we haven’t yet lived over this New Year. We have just touched the hem of it. Are we going to allow God through His Living Word to direct our steps as we live each day of this New Year?
We should realize that we are living on borrowed time. We are not here forever. Who knows if this may well be the year of our summon to meet our Creator God! None of us know how long we are going to be here on this earth. The Psalmist very correctly pointed out when he wrote, “The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10). The exhortation of the wise preacher is equally worthy of note, “Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed… Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7). Are you prepared to meet God, even if this may well be the year of your summon to meet Him?
