Where does time go? I catch myself daydreaming and thinking of how time just seems to be fleeting. It is hard to fathom I have nine grandchildren and one on the way. I still remember the first date I had with my husband. It is like it was yesterday. We were all grins. As time passed all we could think of was how much we loved each other and looked forward to growing old together. After we got married, life became very busy.
My husband and I thought when we got older that life would slow down a bit. Well, it hasn’t. In fact, it has gotten busier. Pathway Ministries has grown from a small church and school to a ministry with a church, school, eight full power radio stations, a college, a Bible college accrediting association, and a full color magazine. Our immediate family has grown from five children to ten children and soon to be ten grandchildren. The needs of our extended family as well as our own physical needs for rest and recovery have grown.
Don’t get me wrong. There is never a dull moment, and life is full and rich. It seems if I am not careful, I will lose focus and get distracted with the right now moments. I tend to set the important things aside and do the urgent. What is today’s deadline? With the best of intentions, I am likely to miss a beautiful moment with my husband or a special time with my grandchild. I guess I might compare with Martha in some ways. She was probably a better housekeeper than I, but she was always busy doing something, whereas Mary was commended for taking time to learn from the Master.
Scripture tells us that time is precious and we should use it wisely. It warns us it can be wasted.
Ephesians 5:15-16 states “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
We must be careful to listen to the Master concerning how we should use the time He has given us. First and foremost, we know we need to set aside time to pray and study God’s Word. That is a given. Most of us don’t make prayer and Bible study a priority. It is sad that the God of Heaven is pushed aside for the things of the very world He created.
As Christians we are blessed with the spiritual gifts the Lord has given us. Are we using them as He intended us to use them? If we were, no one in the church would be overburdened, and a few would not carry the weight of the entire church. As many have said, the church is not intended to be a spectator sport.
The Christian community is busy doing lots of things, but how many are lasting and have eternal value? Are we redeeming the time?
When we look around us, we see our world decaying. The morals and values that precipitate our world are anti-God. We are busy having fun or doing the mundane while the world is going to hell in a hand basket. The saddest part of all is the devil is taking our children, and parents are handing them over. It reminds me of the passage in the Old Testament which admonishes the people for sacrificing their children to false gods. (Ezekiel 16:20-21) Are we going to look back and realize we did not redeem time with our children? Have we sacrificed them to our full schedules and lack of priorities?
I understand how busy life can be. In many cases, both parents have to work to make ends meet. Often times this is due to getting in too deep financially, whereas other times it is just to keep food on the table. Life has changed from days gone by.
One of the most precious gifts God has given mankind is our children. We have a responsibility to raise them in the admonition of the Lord. One of the things we cannot do is go back in time. All of us have things we would like to go back and change. Time past is forever gone. For those of us who have children at home, be so careful. The time we have with them now is very important. The example we set, the things we teach them, and the relationship we have with them is forever etched in their minds.
The people our children have contact with will influence them as well. If your child is school age, the time they spend at school exceeds the time they spend at home during the school year. What are our children learning at school? We can’t help but be alarmed by the new bathroom bill in our government. Our president has made an executive order that all public schools will allow students to go to the bathroom of their choice. If that is a rule at school, what else is being pushed into our children’s minds? It is a scary thing.
I would encourage everyone to look into Christian education. There was a day when our children may have been able to make it in a government school. Even with the few Christian teachers ministering in the government schools, the warped ideals of our government show that it cannot be trusted with the most precious valuable we have, our children.
Make every minute count with our children. It is difficult to grow up in a world where all types of sin are at our fingertips with this electronic age. Our children have instant gratification. Our children’s parents are pulled in every direction. It is difficult to know who to let your children be around for fear of what they might be exposed to. Raising children has always been difficult, but it is much more difficult than it was even twenty years ago.
We can’t go back and change how we raised our children. Once they are grown, it is too late. I would encourage each of you to take a good look at where your children are headed. Look into options and see how you can protect them from this evil world. I see the students at our school and the struggles they face. They are fortunate they have Christian teachers looking out for them and teaching the same values their parents hold dear.
I have a few regrets and wish I could do some things over, but I will never regret the time and the money spent on Christian education. Together we were able to provide protection, principles, and priorities for our children. It is well worth the investment. Please look into your options today.
Mrs. Worthington has five children and nine grandchildren. She serves as Principal of Pathway Christian Academy in Goldsboro.