New Life
II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
As the Lord loves life, I think that He loves a new year. Even though it is man who has come up with his convoluted measurements of time, God wants us to turn new leaves and determine to grow at intervals of life. Anyone who has come to know Jesus Christ as Savior has made the ultimate life-improvement as God has made a “new creature” out of him.
There are two perspectives on life which may help us to cherish it in important, practical ways. We ought to know that in these evil days it is important make the most of our time, it is precious to man. First, though, I want to point out that our time is possessed by God. We talk about having a work-ethic, recognizing that our time on the job belongs to our employer and we ought to give him our best efforts. If we recognize that God, as our Creator and Sustainer, owns us, then we ought to consider our life-ethic. Are we living for the One Who died for us, faithfully and fearfully? A new year is a good time to consider that carefully.
I have had opportunity to review and teach the “Doctrine of Man,” and be reminded that as long as we have life it has a purpose. We are not able to judge “quality of life” because we do not know the true value of things. We had a family member who spent her last couple decades of life in a coma, and I do not know all of God’s purposes for her, but I know that her silent years spoke powerfully to all of us who new and loved her. David said, “But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand…” Psalm 31:14,15
As far as time being precious to man, we know that things gain in value as they become more rare and harder to replace. On this Earth every moment of time slips away, well-used or wasted, but never to return! 2018 is God’s year, but its spending is our responsibility and we will give account for it.
When we were instructed to be “redeeming the time,” in Ephesians 5:16, the reason given was that “the days are evil.” That is becoming more true every day, as the most basic bits of morality are slipping away and the value of life has been lost in the minds of the majority of our society. The same command to be “redeeming the time” is given in Colossians 4:5 as well. There the reason provided is that the world needs us to be effective and faithful witnesses of grace.
We must not bury this year in fruitless busyness or in cowardly caution as the lazy one-talent servant did. Time is life. Let us invest it for our Lord, mindful of His ownership and eager to make the most of the opportunity of life that is given to us!
Devotional submitted by:
Pastor Scott Jones, Kenosha, WI
Southport Baptist Church