Stewards of Time

Dr. Marybeth Leavell

A Recap* 

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.  

Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. Psalm 39:4-5

Do we fall prey to the tyranny of busy? The whirlwind of a hurried life?  

Why does time often seem the most difficult to manage? 

In the Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren wrote, “Never confuse activity with productivity.” 

Time is a Resource 

Time is a valuable resource that has boundaries only on Earth.  

The problem we face is not the amount of time given to us but our view of time and how we should use it. The Bible teaches that time is a resource for God’s purposes.  

God Moments 

The concept of time in the Bible does not stress the continuity of time but emphasizes God-given moments in history. These God moments are when God intersects our world to advance His purposes.  

The concept of time is referred to as kairos (Greek) meaning opportunity in its season or time and mo’ed (Hebrew) indicating God’s appointed times. 

Number Our Days 

David prayed that God would teach him to number his days. If life is short, we’re wise to evaluate how we spend our time. The quantity of time is usually not as crucial as the quality. Am I distracted when I spend time with my family or with God? What are my motives and goals? Are they focused on God’s purposes or mine? 

Redeem the Time 

Ephesians 5:15 encourages us to be careful how we live, redeeming the time and taking advantage of every opportunity. If we redeem the time, we rescue time from activities that displease God and have no eternal value.  

How can we apply this to the ministry of T.R.A.C. and T.R.A.C.life?  

By numbering our days, redeeming the time. and focusing on and being present in the God moments . . . the moments where God intersects the lives of our campers and mentees. A fish caught, a wall scaled, a fear overcome, a life surrendered to Jesus.  

These are the moments God gives us so we can bring hope to the hopeless and hurting.   

*NOTE: Dr. Mary Leavell, Adjunct Faculty/Methodologist at Columbia International University posted this on September 6, 2023, at christianleadershipalliance.org