Another year has gone by so swiftly. Today is my birthday as there is so much to reflect upon. So much has happened this year. Today, I felt stabs of pain remembering the loss of Ginger, my doggie, she passed away so young from liver complications.
Today is also Diwali and millions are celebrating the Festival of Lights where King Ram returned to Ayodhya after he defeated Ravana, multi-headed demon-king of Lanka. He lit rows of clay lamps in celebration of his victory. South India celebrates it as the day that Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura. Diyas are glowing all over, lights twinkling and crackers bursting around. There is also sadness in the air. A little 2-year-old boy has been trapped in a bore-well for over two days and they still cannot get him out. His earlier screams we heard by a video haunted thousands. We wait anxiously, praying he will come out safely, waiting against a ray of hope. (Update, after 3 days, he was reached, but dead, our hearts are broken, crying and can only say he is now in a beautiful place, no pain, no sorrow, comfort for the family).
There are also tensions of disharmony smoldering among people in our nation, and the throb of anger is rising. In a vein of saturnine resignation, crawling to a cave and hiding or reacting in rage seems to be the way the nation is turning.
But God has gifted us life for a purpose. As long as we have breath, we have to do our very best. Life is a gift never to be thrown away, nor do we have the right to take away another one’s life. Genesis 9:5-6 : And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. (God allowed cavernous animals kill to eat, after the Fall, but animals that kill randomly without reason will get judged! Sounds strange, but the Bible says that) And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. 6 “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.
James 4:14 says that our earthly lives are a mist that appears and then quickly evaporates.
Our money, land, and possessions are inherited by someone else, people will miss us but they will go on with their lives. All that remains of our lives on earth is that which was invested in eternity. In the end, all that matters is what we did or did not do to redeem the time (Psalm 102:3; Psalm 144:4 Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.).
Today I am aware the clock is ticking fast, I need to redeem the time. To redeem something means to regain possession of it and use it for a noble eternal purpose, not in self destruction or in harming others or in whiling it away in foolish frivolous pursuits. Time is a gift from God, and none of us know how much time we are allotted on this Earth. Only God knows. He give us this time to make the right decisions. Sometimes, we say that since life is so short, do whatever is on your heart, enjoy life to the fullest. While that being true, if we use our time on superficial pursuits fanning only our fleshy lusty desires, it has no lasting impact and we have not redeemed our time. This is wood, hay and stumble. The Bible says our frivolous, fanciful works will be destroyed: 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. Fire always destroys superficial temporary works. Fire destroys evil, violence and crime and such people too will be judged by fire! The Bible tells us to be diligent about doing good (Titus 3:8). “Be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, 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. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life” (Ephesians 5:15–18). We need to plan our lives to align it with God’s will. And we avoid empty, evil, destructive, wicked, violent, harmful activities, avoid getting drunk, immoral relationship, adultery, rape. In the last days, the darkness is increasing as the Bible prophesied. Ephesians 5:16: “Because the days are evil” We must overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Do not repay evil for evil. An eye for an eye will make the world blind, a quote by Mahatma Gandhi.
Jesus Christ said “We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4).
I remember reading John F Kennedy Junior said he lived each day as if it was the last day of his life! Sounds a bit intense, but something changes in us in the light of eternity. We become more tender, more sharp, intense, keen to do things, we stop preserving ourselves, we stop being selfish, and let go. A lot of heinous murders we hear about were for property, wanting something, wanting to possess. If we realize Earth is not our eternal home, we will stop being greedy for land, money, possessions, jealousy, envy, competition, wanting to possess people, and craving, lusting, raping, killing. The boon of life seems to be self, but self is our hindrance. Self obstructs the natural flow of the go in Divine will, purpose and destiny. Paul said in Philippians 1:21: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Ego is self life. The things we get out of carnal grabs will burn up and be blow away one day (1 Corinthians 3:12–15). We can learn to redeem the time by becoming conscious of the fact that we may not have another day. Remember, everything we do for Christ on Earth will gift us eternal rewards (Mark 9:41)
Practically we can: 1. Commit our times to God. Submit to God and the devil will flee. 2. Pray each morning. Allow the Holy Spirit to take over. Invite Him each day to partner with you. 3. Meditate in spirit. Listen to His voice. 4. Be led in the Spirit to do things. He may tell you to pray for someone out of the blue, do it. Or help someone, do it! Let us do our best in all we do…in the light of purity and goodness, not evil, not harm, not destruction either by words or actions. 5. Be kind, compassionate, stop abusing others, stop anger, stop unforgiveness. 6. The Light of Christ will shine out of you in dark places for Jesus said, “I am the Light of the World.” John 8:12. 7. Be in constant communion with God, the Holy Spirit for this alone helps us to overcome and be victorious. Christ said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. When we accept Him, His life washes and sanctifies us, and make us clean enough to enter the Holy of Holies, which is the Kingdom of God, the highest and most glorious place in the Heavens.
Ephesians 5:15-16 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Psalm 90:12: 12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Rita F. Kurian
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