Hosea—Ipoh, Malaysia

It is universally acknowledged that we only have twenty-four hours in a day. How we choose to spend these hours will by no means add to the twenty-four we already have. More soberingly, once these twenty-four hours are past, there is no way to get them back.

Therefore, we try to fill our hours with things we want or need to do. Priorities and values are attached to the activities that take up our time. This being true, we can ask ourselves, is our time being spent the most efficiently, most enjoyably, most fruitfully, or even most wisely?

We often hear this maxim when planning our time: “Begin with the end in mind.” We consider the potential outcome of our choices to evaluate the action to be taken. Will we regret it in the future? No one enjoys the feeling of regret, but if we do the right thing at the right time, resulting in the right outcome, we will have no regrets. Therefore, the question is, how should we spend our time to reach the best outcome?

SERVE THE LORD WHILE WE CAN

The Gospel of Mark records two incidents of women bringing costly oil and spices to Jesus. In Mark 16, three women sought Jesus to anoint His body after death. However, little did they know that the opportunity had already passed. Jesus had resurrected, and His body was no longer in the tomb. The women had prepared the anointing spices in vain. Conversely, Mark 14 records another woman who, knowing Jesus had come, sought Him immediately and sacrificed her flask of costly fragrant oil to anoint Him. Even though the people around her thought her actions were wasteful, that was not how Jesus viewed them:

            But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” (Mk 14:6–9)

Here, Jesus rebutted those who had disagreed with the woman’s actions, saying that she had done a good work for Him. And more significantly, He stated that they would not have His physical presence with them forever.

Jesus may have been warning His disciples of what was to come, but His words also serve as an important reminder for us. We can find Jesus now, but are we sure we will find Him in the future? While we may draw near to Jesus and come to church for services today, will we still be able to attend services tomorrow?

Comparing the two incidents from chapters 14 and 16, we see that these women sought to perform the same act of love and kindness. They were willing to sacrifice valuable materials, but only the woman in chapter 14 could anoint Jesus with her bottle of costly spikenard oil. The others had the right intention, putting in the time and effort to prepare spices and seek out Jesus, but their efforts were in vain because Jesus was no longer there.

Hence, dear friends, brothers, and sisters, even with the right intention and effort, our actions would count for nothing if not executed at the right time. Therefore, it is essential to seize the opportunity to serve God while we can.

TIME SPENT ON THE PRESSURES OF LIFE

Yet we hear of many reasons given for not serving God. One common one is “I’m too busy.” In our current socioeconomic environment, we are constantly persuaded to buy and spend to improve our lives which, in turn, requires us to earn more money so we can continue buying and spending. This capitalist outlook drives people to spend more time working.

However, if we take a step back, we know that life is more than just acquiring material things and living comfortably. Jesus warns us, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mt 16:26). Is it worthwhile to busy ourselves trying to earn the whole world while exchanging our soul in the process? Dear brothers and sisters, have you ever been so busy that you cannot attend church services? Have you ever been so busy that you cannot do church work, serve, pray, or draw close to God? If we do not seize the time and opportunities to draw closer to our Savior when we can, will we still have the opportunity in the future?

Perhaps it is not a question of personal choice. Rather, we may be pressured to fulfill our duties to the people around us, which consumes our time and energy. In today’s society, people are under tremendous stress from school, work, and even social obligations. At home, our families can be a source of stress too. The anxiety we accumulate over a day is challenging to shake off. No matter how hard we try, we can never please everyone or solve every issue. The constant stress can feel like a heavy burden on our shoulders. But have we forgotten that we have our heavenly Father as our Savior and Comforter? He calls out to us, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). The Lord Jesus is our reliance. He beckons us to come to Him to receive peace.

However, it seems that each time the Lord calls out to us, we turn Him away. We continue to carry our own burden, wishing to tread on our own chosen path and relying on our own strength and intelligence. If we take a moment to reflect, are we truly happy on this path we have chosen? Are we able to feel peace and rest, or are we always struggling under the weight of our burdens? The Bible tells us:

            Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones. (Prov 3:5–8)

The author here explains that we are stressed and worn out because we have been relying on ourselves alone. We have decided to use our own understanding to choose our path. Let us not blame God or the people around us if we continue on the wrong path, wondering why we are no closer to our goal. Remember that our heavenly Father loves us and is waiting earnestly for us to turn back to Him: “If you will return, O Israel,” says the LORD, “return to Me” (Jer 4:1a).

TIME SPENT ON THE PLEASURES OF LIFE

Thus far, we have discussed how we must seek the Lord quickly at every opportunity and how we must not let the pressures of life stop us from doing so. However, we still face one more potential obstacle when we seek God: our desire for comfort and enjoyment. When we were young, we attended church services with our parents and met our friends there; we had fun participating in church camps, Bible seminars, courses, and spiritual meetings. But when did everything begin to change? When we started working, looking for a life partner, or having children, we may have secretly felt like the church was a third wheel—an inconvenience. Where have our initial zeal and love for God gone? In our youth, we were so faithful and zealous. However, spiritual matters have been pushed to the side by our lives' success, blessings, and comfort.

            Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!
You have sown much, and bring in little;
You eat, but do not have enough;
You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
And he who earns wages,
Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”
Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!” (Hag 1:3–7)

If we are neither cold nor hungry and experience no lack in our lives today, these verses may not seem relevant. And perhaps, for this reason, we do not feel the need to self-reflect. When the temple of God needs to be built up, we are too comfortable to answer the call. We need to quieten our hearts and remember the warnings that God gave to the people of old:

            Woe to you who put far off the day of doom,
Who cause the seat of violence to come near;
Who lie on beds of ivory,
Stretch out on your couches,
Eat lambs from the flock
And calves from the midst of the stall;
Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments,
And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David;
Who drink wine from bowls,
And anoint yourselves with the best ointments,
But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
Therefore they shall now go captive as the first of the captives,
And those who recline at banquets shall be removed.
The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself,
The LORD God of hosts says:
“I abhor the pride of Jacob,
And hate his palaces;
Therefore I will deliver up the city
And all that is in it.” (Amos 6:3–8)

This description of the Israelites becoming drunk in their pleasures is prolonged over many lines, reflecting how people linger in indulgence when enjoying themselves. Amos warned that the leaders of Israel were not sober to reflect on the blessings from God; they had lost their vigilance and were defenseless against their enemies. Likewise, do we neglect God when our lives are full of comfort and bliss? And has the desire to maintain successful lives turned us away from seeking after God? Has prosperity so occupied our hearts and minds that we have lost our vigilance and the attitude of fear and trembling that we should have regarding judgment day, even to the point of ignoring its coming? How pathetic we would be if we were so engrossed in pleasures that we forget to prepare for our spiritual destination.

CONCLUSION

We all know that time is crucial. While we invest our limited time in our careers, carrying our burdens, or indulging in personal blessings, time ticks on; the end will come suddenly. Therefore, the Bible encourages us:

            Seek the LORD while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon. (Isa 55:6–7)

Seize hold of the time we have to seek God quickly. Do not delay while we can still choose who or what we will serve, whether that be our careers, our friends and families, our comforts and desires, or the Lord. Who knows what tomorrow will bring and when we will be called to give an account to our Lord? Previously, we may have been caught up in the affairs of this life, but it is not too late for us to seek the Lord while He may be found, and He will have mercy on those who seek after Him.