The Time is Now

"The Time is Now" was the topic of our discussion last Monday.  We saw that our time on earth is short, limited and we do not know when our time will end.  That is why it is important to seek God and to come to a right relationship with him now, without delay, for we do not know when our time will come.  We should seize the day, today, to find our Lord.
 
Please find below the notes of our talk.

The Time is Now

Opening question: Can you think of a situation when you missed a deadline about something, a project, or the catch the bus or the pay a bill?  What were the consequences and how did that make you feel?

We know that many things need to be done on time and that time is one of the most valuable items we have, since we cannot really buy time or add to our time.  Once the time has passed for a certain event, one cannot go back and change things.

What does the Bible teach about how we should make use of our time?

In 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Paul, one of the apostles, is teaching us that: 29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

What does it mean that time is short?  How is time short?

We never know what will happen tomorrow; therefore, we should do the best with our time that we have now.  No one can add one single day to his life, not even a minute.  We can do many things to keep ourselves health, but a huge number of things are beyond our control in our lives and we do not know how much time we have to live.

In Matthew 6:34, Jesus gives us an interesting thought: 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

What does this mean?  What does it mean that “tomorrow will worry about itself?”

We should live each live taking care of the things of that life.  Many people make plans or postpone things for the future, for another time, perhaps next month or next year.  However, life happens and those things we postponed we never get around to doing.  Or even worse, something may happen with our health or our own life and we will never get a chance to do those things we promised ourselves we would.

In Romans 13:22, Paul again reminds the members of the church in Rome that time is precious.  He says:  11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

Sometimes we use the language of a “wake-up” call as something that rings the alarm, so that we can do something promptly, right away.  Paul is saying that there is a time for salvation and the time is near.

And in 2 Corinthians 6:2, Paul goes even further, saying: 2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”  I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

What does it mean now?  What does it mean that the day of salvation is now?

Anytime is a good time to be saved.  If you had a disease and the doctor told you that there was a cure, when would it be the time or the day when you would start taking the medicine or begin your cure?  Of course, it would be right away, immediately.  The same is true about the salvation of God, about being saved from your sins.  God wants us to take advantage of his salvation now, as soon as we realize the need to wash our sins away and to come to the right relationship with God.

If you have studied and you are convinced of God and of your need to be saved, do not hesitate, because time is short and we do not know when we may run out of time.

Conclusions

God has offered salvation to all mankind, which can chose to accept it or refuse it.  Not knowing the time or the day of our departure from this world, we should seize the day to know God and to be saved.  Today, now, the present is the time to take such an important step in our lives.