Spare Time

You have the choice how you use your "spare time." Do you know what God wants you to do? Will you use it to grow in godliness?

A U.S. citizen born in the year 1900 could have expected to live to the ripe old age of 49. If you were born in 1930 you should have lived about 59 years. Those of you born in 1945 originally had the grim prospect of death at any moment this year! Yet life expectancy increased more and more so that babies born recently can look forward to living 80 years.

Not so for the average "world citizen". Believe it or not, in several countries, even today the average life expectancy is barely over 40 years! But most likely not for you—you can expect many, many more.

Now what have you done to earn these additional years? Most likely, nothing. You probably didn't invent any new technology for greater crop yields or discover new surgical techniques, or formulate life saving medicines, or design an accident free car.

This is what happened: God has given you "spare time." Compared to your ancestors you have been granted decades of bonus living.

What will you do with these extra years? What should you do? Be sure to give the added time back to God. Ephesians 5 reminds you to "be careful how you live. Don't live like [a fool], but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do" (Eph 5:15-17 NLT).

You have the choice how you use your "spare time." Do you know what God wants you to do? Will you use it to grow in godliness? "[You] should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this [you] will be storing up [your] treasure as a good foundation for the future so that [you] may experience true (eternal) life" (1 Timothy 6:18-19 NLT).

God may be working with you. He has blessed you with the time so many others never had. Time to do great things—time to do godly things. So be sure you are putting it to good use. Honor God in all of your "spare time".