So, I did a thing a few weeks ago. I brought home an eight-week-old puppy who we named Bubba. Bubba is my Time Eater. Yes, cute, teething, obnoxious Bubba is a voracious consumer of my time. He cares not that his momma has a full-time job, is a part-time student, a wife, a mother of four two-footers, a friend…no Bubba’s appetite of my time has no fulfillment. At his discretion, he will consume every fleeting moment of my days and nights. Yes, Bubba would wish nothing greater than that his human parents bow down and serve his 4/12-inch frame.
You may laugh at my self-inflicted crisis, but I am sure you also have in your possession a Time Eater…maybe it is your tv, or your social media accounts. Maybe it’s a new pastime, the newest bestseller from your favorite author; but I guarantee there is something in your life that, if left unchecked, would consume all your time and demand all your attention. The funny thing about Time Eaters is that they themselves have no regard for time. Deadlines, healthy balances in life, moderation, these are not words in the vocabulary of a time eater. Consider the famous portrait of the melting clock by abstract artist Salvador Dali. This symbolizes the mindset of a Time Eater; they have no circadian rhythm, and no sense of satiety. Ironically, although they are insatiable in their consumption, their result in your life is slothfulness in all other matters.
To be clear, my Time Eater, Bubba, is neither good nor bad per se. He only becomes debilitating when I allow him to feed on my day. So, what happens when you allow your Time Eater to consume without restraint? When the most important things in life are devoured by the eater of your time…What becomes of your family life, your friendships, most importantly where is the sacred boundary line which guards the time set apart for God? So now that we have the Time Eater defined, let us look to the word of God to see what He has to say on consumption without restriction.
First a warning to the one in possession of an unchecked Time Eater:
Proverbs 6:10-11 A little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
Who is this armed man?
John 10:10a - The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober- minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
How will he devour you?
Proverbs 18:9 He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.
Proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
And what is the outcome of a man who has allowed this great destroyer to become the slave driver of his home?
Consider the Parable of the Talents; Matthew 25:14-30 Let us focus in on the slothful servant who did nothing with what God entrusted him with and was rebuked as wicked and worthless. The consummation of his unfruitful life led to weeping and gnashing of teeth.
And now a commendation to the one in God’s possession:
Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Matthew 7:24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Who is this rock?
Psalm 18:31 For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?
1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
How will He deliver you?
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
And finally, what is the outcome of a man who has welcomed God to become the master of his home?
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special passion, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
The days are long, and the nights are short my friends. Give your time to the one true God who redeems every moment you surrender. And at the end of our time, we will gaze into heaven at the splendor of our King and enter his fullness with a hallelujah and amen. Amen?
You may laugh at my self-inflicted crisis, but I am sure you also have in your possession a Time Eater…maybe it is your tv, or your social media accounts. Maybe it’s a new pastime, the newest bestseller from your favorite author; but I guarantee there is something in your life that, if left unchecked, would consume all your time and demand all your attention. The funny thing about Time Eaters is that they themselves have no regard for time. Deadlines, healthy balances in life, moderation, these are not words in the vocabulary of a time eater. Consider the famous portrait of the melting clock by abstract artist Salvador Dali. This symbolizes the mindset of a Time Eater; they have no circadian rhythm, and no sense of satiety. Ironically, although they are insatiable in their consumption, their result in your life is slothfulness in all other matters.
To be clear, my Time Eater, Bubba, is neither good nor bad per se. He only becomes debilitating when I allow him to feed on my day. So, what happens when you allow your Time Eater to consume without restraint? When the most important things in life are devoured by the eater of your time…What becomes of your family life, your friendships, most importantly where is the sacred boundary line which guards the time set apart for God? So now that we have the Time Eater defined, let us look to the word of God to see what He has to say on consumption without restriction.
First a warning to the one in possession of an unchecked Time Eater:
Proverbs 6:10-11 A little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
Who is this armed man?
John 10:10a - The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober- minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
How will he devour you?
Proverbs 18:9 He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.
Proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
And what is the outcome of a man who has allowed this great destroyer to become the slave driver of his home?
Consider the Parable of the Talents; Matthew 25:14-30 Let us focus in on the slothful servant who did nothing with what God entrusted him with and was rebuked as wicked and worthless. The consummation of his unfruitful life led to weeping and gnashing of teeth.
And now a commendation to the one in God’s possession:
Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Matthew 7:24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Who is this rock?
Psalm 18:31 For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?
1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
How will He deliver you?
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
And finally, what is the outcome of a man who has welcomed God to become the master of his home?
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special passion, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
The days are long, and the nights are short my friends. Give your time to the one true God who redeems every moment you surrender. And at the end of our time, we will gaze into heaven at the splendor of our King and enter his fullness with a hallelujah and amen. Amen?
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