Jonathan Edwards
SECTION 4
An Exhortation to Improve Time
Consider what has been said of the preciousness of time — how much depends upon it, how short and uncertain it is, and how irrecoverable it will be when gone. If you have the right understanding of these things, you will be more careful of your time than of the fines gold. Every hour and moment will seem precious to you.
But besides those considerations already set before you, consider also the following:
ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD
We are accountable to God for our time. Time is a precious commodity given by God — He has given us our days, and they are to be used for something our days were appointed for some work. Therefore, God will, at the day’s end, call us to an account. We must give account to Him of the use of all our time. We are God’s servants, and as servants are accountable to the master, so we are accountable to God. If we would consider this properly and keep it in mind, we would improve our use of time. Would we not behave differently if we remembered every morning that we must give an account to God how we spent that day? Likewise, if we consider every evening that we must give an account to God how we have spent that evening? Jesus declared, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). Therefore, we conclude that we must give an account of all our idle, misspent time as well!
TIME LOST ALREADY
Consider how much time you have lost already. Having lost so much you have even greater need to diligently use what yet remains. You ought to mourn and lament over your lost time. But that is not all. You must apply yourself even more diligently to properly use what time remains so that you can redeem lost time.
If you are advanced in age and have so far spent your time in vain pursuits and worldly cares, living in negligence of the interests of your soul, you may well be terrified and amazed when you think about how much time you have lost and wasted away. Since you have lost so much time already, you have even greater need for diligence, on three accounts:
- Because your opportunity is so much shorter, your time at its entire length is short. Set aside all that you have lost already and then consider how much shorter it is! As to that part of your time that you have already lost, it is not to be counted to your opportunity. That time will never return, so it is not better, but worse to you than if it never had been.
- You have the same work to do that you had at first, only under greater difficulty. Until now, you have done nothing at all of your work; everything remains to be done. That which remains to be done presents vastly greater difficulty and opposition in your way than would have been had you set about it earlier. The time in which to do your work has not only grown shorter, but your work has grown greater! You not only have the same work to do, but you have even more work to do. You have lost your time and have not only shortened it, but have been making more work for yourself. I pray this consideration will awaken you to a passionate care not to let things continue. May it rouse you up immediately to apply yourself to your work with all your might!
- You have lost the best of your time. The first portion of one’s time is th best, after coming of age to exercise reason and the capability of performing work. You, who have lived in sin till past your youth, have already lost the best part. Therefore, all these things must be considered together, that your time in the whole is short and there is none to spare. A great part is already gone so that it has become much shorter. That which is gone was the best, but all your work still remains, and not only so, but with greater difficulties than ever before attended it. The shorter your time is, the more work you have to do.
What will make you aware of the necessity of a diligent use of your remaining time if these things do not? Sometimes, such considerations as these have another effect; they discourage people and make them think that because they have lost so much time, it is not worthwhile to attempt anything now. The devil makes fools of these, for when they are young, he tells them there is plenty of time so there is no need of being in haste. The devil tells these deceived ones that it will be better for them to seek salvation later, and they believe him. Afterwards, when their youth is past, he tells them that they have lost so much — the best of their time — it is not worthwhile to attempt doing anything.
Sadly, people believe the devil, so that for them no time is good. The devil tells them that the season of youth is not a good time because it is most fit for pleasure and mirth, and there will be enough time later. However, what comes afterwards is not a good time, because the best of it is already gone. Thus people are infatuated and ruined.
But what madness is it for persons to give way to discouragement, so as to neglect their work, because their time is short! What need have they rather to awake out of sleep, thoroughly to rouse up themselves, and to be in good earnest, that if possible they may yet obtain eternal life! Maybe God will yet give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth, that they may be saved. Though it be late in the day, yet God calls upon you to rouse, and to apply yourselves to your work. And will you not hearken to His counsel in this great affair, rather than to the counsel of your mortal enemy?
NEARING THE END OF ONE’S TIME
Consider how some people value time when they draw near the end of it. What a sense of time’s preciousness have poor sinners sometimes, when they are on their deathbeds! Such have cried out, “O, a thousand worlds for an inch of time!” Time appears to them as very precious indeed. Nevertheless, an inch of time would do them no more good than before when they were in good health, supposing a like disposition to improve their use of time. One’s time on a deathbed has far greater disadvantage for such an improvement as will be for the good of his soul, than when he is in health.
The near approach of death makes people sensible of the inestimable worth of time. Perhaps, when these folks were in health, they were as insensible of its value as you are, and were as negligent of it. However, now their thoughts are altered! It is not because they are deceived that they think time to be of such value, but because their eyes are opened. Furthermore, it is because you are deceived and blind that you do not think as they do.
THOSE FOR WHOM IT IS TOO LATE
Consider the value set on time by those who are past the end of it. What thoughts do you think those who have lost their opportunity for obtaining eternal life and are gone to hell have of the preciousness of time? Though they were lavish in the wasting of their time while alive, and set no great value upon it, consider how they have changed their judgments. How they would value the opportunity that you have if they could but have it granted to them! What they would give for one of your days, under the means of grace!
So will you, first or last, be convinced. However, if you are not convinced until you have gone to an eternity of despair and suffering, it will be too late.
There are two ways of making people aware of the preciousness of time. One is by showing them the reason it must be precious. This is done by telling them how much depends on it, how short it is, how uncertain, etc. The other is experience, wherein they are convinced how much depends on the proper use of time. The latter is the most effectual way because it always convinces, if nothing else does.
However, if one is not convinced by the former means, the latter will do them no good. If the former is ineffectual, the latter, though it is certain, is always too late. Experience never fails to open the eyes of people, though they were never opened before. However, if they are first opened by experience, it is not to their benefit. Therefore, let all be persuaded to use their time to their utmost good.
SECTION 5
How to Make the Best Use of Time
BE AWARE OF THE PRESENT
Make the best use of the present time with no further delay. If you delay and put it off, still more time will be lost and it will be evidence that you are not aware of its preciousness. Stop talking of more convenient season later, but use your time while you have it. Consider the example of the psalmist. “I made haste, and did not delay to keep your commandments” (Psalms 119:60)
BE AWARE OF THE MOST PRECIOUS TIMES
Be especially careful to make the best use of those times that are most precious. Though all time is very precious, some parts are more precious than others. For example, holy time is more precious than common time, and is of greater advantage for your everlasting welfare. Therefore, improve your Sabbaths above all and especially the time of public worship, which is the most precious part. Do not lose this time in sleep, carelessness, inattention, or wandering imaginations. Those who waste away not only their common, but holy time, waste the very season of attendance on the holy ordinances of God!
The time of youth is precious on many accounts. Therefore, if you are enjoying this time, take heed that you do not waste it. Do not let the precious days and years of youth slip away without using them to the utmost. A time of the striving of God’s Spirit is more precious than other times. God is near then, and we are directed to, “Seek the LORD while he may be found, Call upon him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6).
Youth, especially, is an accepted time and day of salvation:
For he says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)
BE AWARE OF YOUR LEISURE TIME
Use well your time of leisure from worldly business. Many persons have a great deal of leisure time and all have some. If one is aware of it, such time may be used to great advantage.
When we are most free from care for the body and business of an outward nature, a happy opportunity for the soul is made available. Therefore do not waste such opportunities, or spend them in such a way that you will be unable to give a good account of them to God. Do not waste them away in unprofitable visits, or unless diversions or amusements. Diversion should be used only in subservience to business. So much, and no more, should be used as it best fits the mind and body for the work of our general and particular callings.
You must improve every talent, advantage, and opportunity to your utmost while time lasts. Soon it will be said of you, according to the oath of the angel:
The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer. (Revelation 10:5-6)
warriorprincess4yeshua.blog 