Make the Most of Today

By Paul Chappell

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."

Ephesians 5:15-17

The great military leader Napoleon, who conquered much of Europe at the height of the French Empire, once said: "There is in the midst of every great battle a ten- to fifteen-minute period that is the crucial point. Take that period, and you win the battle. Lose it, and you will be defeated." The idea of "redeeming the time" is to make the most of every moment and every opportunity. None of us know which ten- or fifteen-minute period may be crucial to our job, our family, our Lord…so we must make the most of every minute we have.

There are more than six hundred references to time in the Bible. Obviously, how we use our time is important to God. In Psalm 90:12 Moses prayed, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." When we carefully count our days according to the teachings of the Word of God, we realize that this day is the only one we know that we have. We cannot go back to yesterday; we have no certainty of tomorrow. If we are going to accomplish anything for God, it must be done now rather than later.

We will always be able to come up with reasons and excuses for why we could put off what needs to be done, but those must be overcome. Many people look back at the end of their lives with regret for what they failed to accomplish. The only way to avoid that is to take action today. There is enough time to do everything God has planned for us to do, provided that we use that time wisely. Just as with our money, investing time well brings great results.

Today's Rooted Principle:

Make the most of every minute you have today; we are not promised tomorrow.