TODAY

“Nevertheless I must walk TODAY, and tomorrow, and the day following…” – Luke 13:33a

Life TODAY is filled with opportunities, but the big question is what we do with them. Do we let them slip by, saying, “Maybe next time. There is always another day”? Or, do we seize them and maximize the moment? We may not have as much time as we think. Ephesians 5:15 says, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise” (NLT). The Lord Jesus knew the value of TODAY, and determined to not postpone till tomorrow what could be done today. He likened us to God’s vineyard: our Father desires fruit from us and we must not disappoint Him (vv.6-9). Furthermore, maximising even the Sabbath day, Jesus liberated the woman with a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years (vv.10-17).

We can illustrate the importance of recognizing the value of Time through a brief exercise in numbering our days: by calculating the average length of life as proportions of the hours of one day. At the age of 10, the time is 9.16 a.m.; at age 20, the time is 11:34; while at 30, the time is 1:51 p.m. If you’re 40 the time is 4:08; at 50, the time is 6:25; at 60, the time is 8:42; and when you’re 70 it’s 11 p.m! Psalm 90:12 (TLB) says: “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.”

Jesus told the story of a man who went on a trip and left sums of money with his servants. This was not an unusual thing in those days. A wealthy man or a ruler would have many servants in his household, including: those who performed basic chores; and those who managed his household’s finances or even his business. Highly trusted slaves had a virtual free hand within prescribed areas of responsibility while the owner was at home. When the owner would go on a journey, he would leave full authority in the hands of these chief servants, who possessed the ancient equivalent of a power of attorney. So, the wealthy man left the servants in charge of his possessions: ten, five, and two talents, respectively (Matt.25). These could be the equivalent of N 1.7 million, seven hundred thousand, and three-hundred and fifty thousand naira respectively. The parable of the talents raises the question of how we are investing our days and time in.

Jesus is like that wealthy man who goes on a journey, spanning the day He left this earth to the day He’ll return in Glory. We are the servants He has invested in. We are to take what He has given us and use it for His glory while we await His return. The first servant traded and earned a 100 percent return; he doubled his master’s investment. The second, though he had less, did the same thing. It isn’t the magnitude of a person’s talent that matters as much as how he or she uses it. God never demands from us the abilities we don’t have, but that we should use, to the full, the abilities that we do possess. We may not be equal in talent, but we should be equal in effort. Take what God has given to you and do the most that you can with it for His glory. God can do a lot with a little: a boy gave everything he had – five loaves and two fishes – to Jesus. It seemed little, but Jesus used them to feed a hungry multitude. He can take your little, bless it and multiply it beyond your dreams.

If you’ll humble yourself, take what you have and offer it to God, if you’ll be faithful in the little things, then He’ll give you greater assignments to accomplish. Embrace and make the most of each day. Maximize the moment. Seize the opportunities God has given you. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t put things off too long, because you may not have as much time as you think. Be effective with your time. Be productive with your life. Give TODAY your very best.