A Prayer to Use Your Time Wisely
By Emily Rose Massey
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, ESV).
A couple weeks ago, a dear sister from my church reached out to me and asked me if I knew of someone who could disciple her or if I happened to have time to walk alongside of her. Since I recognized the rarity of such a request, I wholeheartedly embraced the opportunity to walk with my sister as we grew closer to Christ together through His Word. We decided to focus on a study of the attributes of God. Each week will be a new attribute. Week one was on the aseity of God, which simply means the self-existence and eternality of God. God had no beginning, and He has no end; He is eternal and all source of life comes from Him.
Conversely, we as humans know nothing of life without time from the moment we are born. Eternity is so incredibly foreign to us as we experience the constraints and consequences of time here on earth. Although God exists outside of time, He is the creator and cause of it and has a purpose for it. The Lord won’t keep eternity from us forever but longs for us to have it too in Christ. One day we will get to taste unending days that ever-increase with beauty and joy with Him, but until then, we must see time as a gift from God and learn how to use it wisely all for His glory.
I am reminded of a verse in Psalm 90, which is a prayer written by Moses. Moses asks the Lord:
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, ESV).
Understanding that God is sovereign over all things, including your life, means that you realize that you cannot exceed your lifespan by a single moment. Wisdom is knowing that time here on earth is fleeting, and we do not know what tomorrow brings, so we should not take a single breath for granted. Wise Christ followers are mindful that wasting time limits our fruitfulness and effectiveness for God’s Kingdom. Distracted disciples don’t further the Kingdom of God, so we must learn how to prioritize our time rightly for God’s glory. The Lord has given us work to do and that is to see the gospel spread to the nations and raise up more disciples. Ultimately, numbering our days should be a thrill and a joy. We should wake up everyday longing to not only spend time with the Lord, but to move forward with His mission to give Him glory through all that we say and do. What has become a distraction for you recently that may be getting in your way of being productive for Christ? Are you giving more of your time to worldly, temporal pursuits? Do you find yourself making excuses and giving into laziness when it comes to prioritizing your time to put God first in your life? Often where we spend most of our time is a big indicator of what/who has your heart and devotion. Let us ask the Lord to help us be cognizant of how we are spending our time and how we can wisely prioritize the gift of time. One day we will be free from the bounds of time where we will get to spend forever with the Lord, but until that day, let us give God our best with the time we have here on this earth.
Let’s pray:
Father God,
Help me to see time, not as a thief, but as a gift from You. Although You exist outside of time, You have caused time to exist and have a purpose for me to fulfill while I am here on this earth. I ask that You would help me overcome the temptation to waste my time or give into laziness. Like Moses prayed, teach me to number my days that I may use them wisely and for Your glory. I want to make every moment full of God-honoring choices that point those around me to You that they may come into a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to untangle from worldly pursuits that are not fruitful and give my all to your Kingdom work and purposes. My life is in Your hands, and I am grateful for every breath that comes from You as it is another opportunity to praise You.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
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