2 Chronicles 7—9, John 11:1—29 • Key Verses: John 11:9-10

The life of a college student includes eating a diet drawn from the four basic food groups—fast, frozen, microwave and pizza—and a time-management plan based on the “all-nighter.” The assignment that is filed away under “I can do it later” one day becomes the assignment due tomorrow and really is done “later”—as in staying up until three or four o’clock in the morning. On every college campus lights burn late into the night as caffeine-energized minds try to get work done.

Isn’t there a better way? Of course there is, but there is a great gulf between the ideal and reality. It would be much better for all of us if we used our time wisely.

Jesus used time wisely and sometimes confused His disciples in the process. When He heard that Lazarus was sick, He waited. Then when He said, “Let us go back to Judea” (v. 7), His disciples protested that the time was not right. At that point, Jesus gave them a lesson on using time wisely—do what God wants, when He wants it.
“Are there not twelve hours of daylight?” Jesus asked (v. 9). The person who walks in the daylight will not stumble, but the person who walks in the dark will. It makes sense to use the right time to do the right things.;
. . . .
Jesus worked on the Father’s schedule. He neither rushed ahead by going to Bethany too soon, nor did He lag behind by going when it was too late. Knowing what God wanted done and when to do it was the guiding principle of time management for Jesus. It should be for us as well.

Are other demands keeping you from doing what God wants? If you know things that God wants that you are not getting accomplished, examine the guiding principle for how you use your time.

Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett
www.backtothebible.in