We are made for Eternity

By Bing Villa

“Rise up before your bedroom gets light from the rising sun! Breakfast must be ready before the noise of animals outside! It’s lunchtime when you don’t see any length of shadow of the roof because the sun stands in the middle. All in the house before sunset! Prepare for each day the night before!’ Phrases we often hear from our fathers when we were young. Yes, even without watches or clocks, the sun, moon, stars are witnesses to remind us of the valuable resources God has given—TIME. “ And God said, let there be light in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and for years” (Gen. 1:14). How do you invest and use your time as a young person?
Set your priorities.

Know your Biblical goals and be committed to fulfill them because pressures to violate will be continual from various sources. If you don’t plan your time, someone else will. So plan according to priorities such as relationship with God- personal devotion, ministry to others, family, developing your character and talents. The rest you may put on the next category of priorities.
Be single-minded for the permanent one.

In my early college days, I have tried one of the different time management that goes like this; 6:00 to 6:45 am get up and prepare for the part time job nearby, 7:00-12:00 at part time work, 12:15- 1:00 pm lunch and prepare for school, 2:00-7:00 pm at school, 7:00-8:00 travel home, 8:00-9:00 rest and dinner, 9:00-11:00 home works. In case home works require more time, I would either stay late or get up earlier than my usual schedule the next day. Sacrifices I made were for a purpose – to finish college and get a job. But you see, I was single-minded for a temporary one. One day, my persistent friend Linda who stayed next door invited me to attend their youth fellowship. In her zealousness to win souls, I became a Christian. Apostle Paul was single-minded for the Lord in Phil. 3:13-14, his life priority was to know Christ and serve Him. It is part of the permanent that can not be lost.
Invest your time for eternity.

When I was already working in the office, I tried the time management I had in college but it didn’t work. Even as a Christian, I saw as if time itself was a burden because my strength, responsibilities, dreams and demands of other people all conflicted with one another. The tyranny of clocks robbed me of life’s enjoyment; my body began to react in pneumonia, hyperacidity, pimple outbreaks. But during these experiences I learned of God’s divine nature- His timelessness. God has His own sense of timelessness even when we labor under time bondage. The blessing of God’s timelessness does not mean various activities without rest, which did not answer my quest for the abundant life.

Young people, there are needs around which cry for your involvement, attention or re-thinking. Your younger siblings or a child next your door would insist to be taught about Jesus even in your busy time, classmates or fellow youth in the church will unexpectedly need help. Such investments even in small ways are investments for eternity. You should also respect other’s time by coming on time for an appointment (Philippians 2:4). God’s children need to maintain godly flexibility. We need to look continually to God for possible re-direction. Let us be wise in our use of time (Eph 5:15-16).