For many, the fall season brings the challenge of crowded and competing calendars. Households with more than one member often have schedules that seem impossible to sustain. A cry that rises in despair from the lips of many is, "I don't have the time!"

When David in Psalm 139 celebrates being knit together in his mother's womb, he goes on to remind us that though we may be given years to live, they are measured out to us in days: "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139: 16, NIV)

It is true that the length of our years varies according to God's secret wisdom, but God does put all of us on a level field: each day has 24 hours. How we use those hours will determine whether our lives are an asset or a liability in the judgement of eternity.

The best way to use time is to use the best time for the best things. We are challenged to celebrate the first day of the week as the Lord's Day. It is a day given to us for the refreshment and renewal of our souls. Concentrating on cultivating our relationship with God through worship is the first claim and best investment of that day. Correspondingly, capturing the first few minutes of each of the other days of the week to commune with our Lord in prayer and meditation upon the Bible will set the tone for the purposeful and productive use of the rest of the day.

Before we complain about not having enough time for what we want to do, let us ensure that we have taken time for what really matters.

Jesus had more callers clamouring for his time and attention than any of us ever will, but because He was firmly focused on doing God's will rather than his own, He was able with sanity and serenity to respond to each need at the right time.

God designs life not to enslave us to schedules; rather He seeks to have us celebrate salvation through His Son Jesus.

May God grant us grace to receive our time each day as a gift, and gratefully offer it in joyful service, without hurry, guilt, or regret.

With gratitude for the gift of every day, and a desire to savour the use of each hour,

In Christ,

Your pastor,

James T. Hurd.