Have you noticed that life leaks?

It does. It drips away… minute by minute, second by second.

And you can’t plug the hole or retrieve a drop of it once it’s gone.

I’m not about to advocate a stress-filled, kill-yourself-with-responsibility lifestyle because “every minute counts” (even though they do).

That is just as unhealthy as laziness and sloth.

But I do believe that few people take their life, and its responsibilities, as seriously as they should.

Look what the Apostle Paul wrote about making the most of the time you’ve got…

…you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. – Romans 13:11-12

I get the feeling that Paul wants us to live as if Jesus could show up any minute.

He wants us to realize that the day we will give account to Christ is rapidly approaching.

He wants us to recognize that our life is dripping away, and that we need to take that fact very seriously.

Wake up

It’s time to wake from our American-dream (isn’t it ironic it’s named that?).

It’s time for us to open our eyes wide and see (maybe for the first time) what He’s given us to do…

Right here.

Right now.

Making the most of the time you’ve got may mean something different now than it did previously…

Because life is made up of seasons… and they slip by almost without notice.

For example: It seems a very short time ago I was changing diapers and spooning creamed peas from a tiny little jar.

But my season of life has changed…

I have a grown, married son who is expecting his first child. What does that mean for me, a grandpa?
I have a 19 year old daughter who is now a godly woman. What is my responsibility toward her, in her season of life?
I have two other teenagers who are rapidly hurtling toward adulthood. How do their mother and I to guide them through that time of growth and change?
And I’m blessed with a life-observing, question-asking 9 year old. What does she need from me and her mother?
And don’t forget the puppy, the wife, the ministry, and a handful of other things. My plate is very full, with a variety of responsibilities.

And I wonder almost daily if I’m making the most of the time I’ve got.

What is the “time” in which you are living?

What season of life do you find yourself in right now?

What has the LORD put in your path to do?

Are you a husband, or a wife? – What can you do right now, to make sure Christ is honored in that relationship?
Are you a parent of young children? – How can you shape their impressionable souls toward godliness and faithfulness?
Are you in the “teen” phase of parenting? – What are you giving your children that will enable them to be godly, mature adults?
Are you an empty-nester? – How can you be a resource and encouragement to the young adults you’ve just launched into the world?

Whatever season you are in… it’s time to wake up.

It’s time to recognize the good works all around you – that GOD has given you to do (Ephesians 2:10).

And it’s time to get busy making the most of your life.

CALL TO ACTION:

Prayerfully assess your season of life.
List your “top 3” eternal responsibilities (don’t forget family is as important as others).
Talk with a trusted friend (your spouse?) about adjustments you need to make.
Faithfully begin taking baby steps to maximize your faithfulness in those areas.