God’s Redemption of Time, Part 1
5 Nov 2021 Andermatt, Switzerland
Last night, the Lord reminded me of the 3 walks write up, the only print-out I was allowed to bring on this trip. https://www.communityofbrokenspirit.org/blog/it-s-time-to-walk-again
This morning, as I took out my bible in the warmth of the cosy chalet up in the Alps, grateful for some me-time with the Lord, it flipped open to Ephesians 5 (NKJV), where the three walks are…
So, Chapter 5 it is. I find myself doing some self-evaluation as I read on…
- Verse 2:
Walk in love, as Christ has loved you and gave Himself for you… Checked
- Verse 8:
Walk as children of light... Checked
- Verse 15:
Walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise… somehow for this, I paused to think. Felt I need to read on…
More Evil Years to Come
Verse 15: See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
Verse 16: redeeming the time because the days are evil.
Verse 17: Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
I have an inkling He is talking about the coming year 2022, or even the years ahead… more evil days ahead… and this familiar bible verse “redeeming the time” in particular. He has been talking a lot about time in the past year or two.
Buying Back Time
I decided to google more on what it means to redeem the time. I found an interesting article on Renner.org written by Rick Renner, whose book on spiritual warfare had been very useful to me many years ago.
Redeeming is like buying a slave and then setting him free, he explains.
So, I thought to myself, in 2022 or on this stage 3 of my Christian walk…
I have to buy back time so that I will no longer be a slave to time?
For those who know me well, time, to me, is a very precious commodity. I have been quite disciplined in planning my time in all of my adult life – setting five-year, ten-year plans and yearly goals, reviewing them at least twice a year.
“What else and how – to buy back time?” I asked, mindful that at 61, this is probably the last lap of my remaining life on earth.
Renner wrote:
“This is about lost time and opportunities in your life. Do everything you can to make up for lost territory. Make the most out of every moment you have remaining and do everything you can to recover those precious moments and opportunities you thought were lost forever. By the grace of God, the Holy Spirit will empower you and enable you and show you how to buy them back – you can redeem the time.”
Trying to take it in, I felt a bit overwhelmed already. At this point, I am really tired. Exciting as the life of being led by the Spirit had been, I no longer have the will and strength to carry out the will of God for my life for now, not sure if my body and mind can take any more stress and challenges.
Something about the Brains
I told the Lord my 3 Ls in Chinese:
我 老了，懒了， 累了
Pinyin: wo (I am) lau le, lan le, lei le
Translation: I’m too old, too lazy and too tired.
I have escaped to the world of TV, Netflix and phone apps, unable and unwilling to sleep, spending more time also on the golf course since travel and meeting up have been curtailed by the pandemic in the past two years.
I know, I have not been wise about my time in the recent months. Lord, I repent but my soul is just so weary and I am no longer as pumped up as before. For now, I am just coping with life. Is old age going to be like that? Or is this just pandemic fatigue?
V continued with Ephesians Chapter 6:10, as if He heard my groan:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”
V: It starts with your mind, Sara.
Ah yes… He has been leading me to look into brain health things in the recent months.
V: Strength is very much in the mind. If your brain is fit and strong, it will work it all out for you.
And He proceeds to explain how He is going to redeem my time/my life in 4 Rs:
- RECOUP
- RECOVER
- REGAIN
- RETRIEVE
Which I will continue in Part 2 of this post, the 4-in-1 Redemption.
>> Side note: January 22, 2022
In December 2016, I had drawn up a five-year vision plan from 2017 which I was planning for retirement life by Year 2022, with 14 goals and a more detailed action plan.
Here is a glimpse of how my dream board looks:
I review my action plans every year and work actively towards fulfilling all my goals. In early 2021, all but one of my 14 goals had been met. I plan to fulfil that by the end of the year and after that, I am set for retirement.
However, early this year, I strangely could not find this dream board kept at its regular place (which mysteriously surfaced only when I was preparing for the watchnight in December).
Then, in March, the Lord told me to draw up a 20-year plan from 2021 to 2040!
Which basically means there is no retirement yet for me…. Sigh…
Be A Master, not a Slave of Time
And suddenly, today, as I tried to process all these, I had this eureka moment!
God is redeeming time for me through this 20-year plan which we put together in March/April 2021!
Honestly, I used to think I would be content to die by the age of 80. Three of my older siblings had passed on before the age of 70, so even 70 is good. God has led me to live a full and whole life in every aspect, so to die is gain. I will be spared the aches and pains of a failing body and my children will be spared the burden of caring for me.
V: To those who have been a good steward of time, I will show how to redeem it so they will not be a slave to, but a master over, time.
I pondered: Ok God, if you would provide me with extra time, then I will graciously accept. But they have to be good, fulfilling, strong and vibrant years. I do not want to spend my old age just killing time, which I fathomed is the bane of my frustration, without direction or the will to do anything, like a slave, I am just killing time.
No, if I have extra time, then I want to be able to master over it.
I recall the 20-year plan… Vision 2040. Yes, like that. Yes, only if it is like that.
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