We read this little portion after dinner last night.
It is from Horatius Bonar’s wonderful book Follow the Lamb.
Redeem the time: much of your progress depends on this. Be men of ‘method and punctuality’; waste no moments; have always something to do, and do it; use up the little spaces of life, the little intervals between engagements. Pack up your life well; your trunk will contain twice as much if well packed; attend, then, to the packing of each day and hour. You may save years by this. How many have ‘slipped’ and ‘fallen’ through idleness! How many begin a score of things and end nothing, ‘dawdle’ away their morning or their evening hours, sleep longer than is needful, trifle through their duties, hurrying about from work to work, or from book to book, or from meeting to meeting, instead of being calm, methodical, energetic! Thus life is loitered away, and each sun sets upon twelve wasted hours, and an uneasy, dissatisfied conscience. Be punctual and regular in all duties and engagements. Keep no man waiting. Be honest as to time, both with yourselves and others.
These may seem small things, but they are the roots of great. Resist beginnings. ‘Seize time by the forelock.’ Live while you live. Watch your steps; count your minutes; live as men who are pressing on to a kingdom…
We talked about fitting more stuff into a suitcase by folding and packing it carefully.
We related this experience to living through the moments of each and every day.
I was struck by the line about the sun setting on an uneasy, dissatisfied conscience. I talked about days when I feel that I have not done my best; I dawdled and wasted time and opportunities. On those evenings I was not able to put my head on the pillow, breathe in deeply, and rest peacefully. How much better it has been to walk in wisdom all day long. It is better by far to work hard, use up all the daylight and go to sleep knowing that I sought the Lord; knowing that I spent my day doing what He gave me to do with all my might. I sleep well on nights when I can say that about my day.
Live while you live. Press on to the kingdom.