Redeeming my time

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefor be ye not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17

Wow....talk about a hiatus! When I started this blog, a little over a year ago, I had every intention in the world to post at least once a week. Realizing the feat I was getting myself into I figured, maybe I'll post once a month. That was a year ago. I have one post to show for all my thinking...

I had a wonderful experience last November, and I just knew what my second post would be. I knew I would title it Redeeming The Time and I just knew what it was going to be about. Somwhere between that thought and today, TIME 'got away from me'. Oh I thought about it alright, I just never got around to it. And how many times we do that in life.

Last year I reconnected with my cousin and her mother, family I had not seen in almost 30 years! Thanks to the wonder of facebook, we found each other, and have been literally inseparable since then. I invited them over for Thanksgiving and we had the most wonderful time ever, since our childhood.

TIME. I know we spent time together growing up, I remember seeing them, visiting with them, even living with them. There was a time when we all shared a house that belong to our grandfather. My family lived there, in what used to be a basement that my father later converted to a house. They lived upstairs, in what used to be a garage they converted into a living sort of studio. And between our basement and their garage was our grandfather's house. That was the main house where we all gathered. Then time past, they left, everything got shifted around. And from time to time I got to sleep in a sofa bed my Aunt had in her room....which once was the studio they lived in, which was once a garage.

Then we left and moved to a house of our own. And over the years my cousin and her family would come by every now and then to visit. But for some reason we just never spend enough time to really get to know each other well and keep in touch. I wish we would have. Then again, God works in mysterious ways.

My uncle and his wife are born again Christians. I remember when they would visit us, whether at our grandfather's house we used to share or the new home after we moved, my uncle would always sing hymns to us children. He would always talk to us about God. His wife, a woman of incredible discernment, would do the same, and then, just before leaving, she would lay hands on us and pray in ways very few people know how. They always left an impression on me.It would be many years before I would understand where they were coming from. And even more years before I would be able to see them again.

Then I was born again, and as my journey and my walk with the Lord started here on earth, my uncle was starting his on heaven. He died just as I was being born...and I never got a chance to share that with him. When I was fortunate enough to find, and be found of my cousin, and I was able to finally meet them after so many years, there was so much I needed and wanted to share with them! I had so much in my heart and in my mind. I felt just one meeting wasn't going to be enough. When I finally saw them, my heart was so full with emotion, I thought I was going to fall apart. When I saw my Aunt, my beloved Aunt, my eyes welled with tears and my chest was filled with such love and gratefulness for her.
We sat and we talked and as we shared we found we had so much more in common than family, names and blood. We are bound in love by Christ and it is the most beautiful relationship I could have possibly ever hoped for.

TIME. I had to write about time, because too much time had passed since we had seen each other. Too much time has passed since I have reflected upon so many things so close and dear to me;family, friends, memories.Time. I knew I had to write about it becuase my Aunt is the epitomy of someone who knows how to redeem the time.

It is not everyday one meets a person who, once converted and surrendered to Christ, remains unchanged and unspotted by the people or the circumstances or the world in general around them. Faithful, strong, perseverant and more than anything, humble.

She inspires me because she is the only person I know up close who is the same today as she was when I was a kid. She preaches today with the same passion she did 40 years ago. She prays today with the same faith she did when she first believed, if not more. Her joy has never diminished. Her light only shines brighter. There is no doubt in my mind She has not only redeemed her time but has made the most of it!

It puts me to shame when I think about all the times I have sat in front of a computer, or the TV, or picked up a magazine or complained that there is nothing to do! Time truly is a gift, for there is no time in heaven. God does not live in a time frame. That is why we get so desperate when we don't get things when we want them. Because we live within the confines of time, where as God is free from that, and yet, His timing is always perfect. We just fail to see it.

All in good time, and all good things to those who wait. To those who wait patiently for Him. God gave us time but also wants us to not depend on it, get 'hung up on it', or take it for granted. We are to trust Him, and to make the best use of the time He gives to us. There is a reason He gives us time, so that we may accomplish His purpose.

Looking back at this past year I am ashamed of too many instances of times that have gone wasted. I know I'm not alone. Just two nights ago, as I sat in bed reading the Word, I asked God to help me get back in track, to purge and to prune, to convict, to do whatever needs to get done that I may not wander around wasting time. The very next day the Pastor did a beautiful but unusual thing (for too many Pastors don't do it often enough), he invited several men from the church to the front to stand in line and wait as the congregation stood one by one before them, and they laid hands on us and prayed.

I knew then that as always, God was answering my prayer!

I thought about this blog one year ago. I knew what it would be about. Time. It took some time to finally get here. Ok, it took a long time....but better late than never! I have finally come full circle and now the clock is ticking...But thank God that His mercies are renewed every morning...and a new day shall begin.

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven..."Ecclesiaster 3:1