Redeem Your Time

It seems like there are always times of waiting whether it’s a check out line, a time clock or bigger things like waiting for a promise to be fulfilled. What do you do while waiting?

In the checkout lines the stores hope you will be tempted to buy last minute items that are conveniently located all around you. At work your employer is expecting you to be working until your shift is over. What do you think God would have you do while waiting for His promises to be fulfilled?

There were several years between the time that David was anointed to be the next king of Israel and the day he was actually crowned. During those years there were many lessons that would benefit him when he became king. Lessons on leadership, grace and obedience.

During this season of his life, David raided the enemies of Israel and took back the land that God had given to the Israelites. Meaning that David redeemed his time in exile, using it to resume Israel’s conquest of Canaan. He spent his time while waiting serving his fellow countrymen and learning how best to use the promise he would receive.

Are you waiting on a promise from God or a prayer to be answered? What are you doing in the waiting? Do you see God’s hand preparing you to receive your promise?

If David has taken the position of King on the day he was anointed he would not have been prepared. He had no idea of how to lead people or a nation. He needed the waiting, the training and the lessons he would learn.

I have a promise that I am waiting on from God. At times I get frustrated that it is taking so long, but then I’m reminded to ask myself, “What are you doing to redeem your time in the waiting?”

Redeem by definition means to take back, to recover, to exchange. That means that we can take back the confidence that the promise will happen in God’s perfect timing. We can recover the strength and purpose that God intended for us to have while waiting and that means that we can exchange the waiting for learning.

There is much to be learned in the waiting and if we remember that God is also preparing us to receive the promise then we will redeem our time in such a way that the waiting becomes part of a great adventure.

My Prayer

Father, thank you for the lessons in the waiting and for the encouragement to redeem the time in a way that it becomes part of the promise. Help us to see that You are preparing us to receive the promise or the answer to prayer and that part of that is the time in between where we learn to trust You, obey You and build our relationship with You. You are a good God. You are my God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Where does my help come from?

Psalm 27:14

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”