09.26.13

Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on. - Proverbs 4:10-15 NKJV.

The Message translates the passage in this way:

Dear friend, take my advice; it will add years to your life. I’m writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way, I’m drawing a map to Righteous Road. I don’t want you ending up in blind alleys, or WASTING TIME making wrong turns. Hold tight to good advice; don’t relax your grip. Guard it well - your life is at stake! Don’t take Wicked Bypass; don’t so much as set foot on that road. Stay clear of it; give it a wide berth. Make a detour and be on your way. - Proverbs 4:10-15 The Message.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. - Matthew 6:33 NKJV.

PointlessSites dot com has a list of 100 “all-time favorite sites for wasting time.” The list begins with the “Falling Sand Game” and continues with such favorites as “Cows go moo” and “Watching Grass grow”!! Those are all good time wasters; however, I believe the ultimate time wasters are our addictions. Whether your addiction is alcohol, meth, cocaine, heroin, porn, or something more innocent like food - they are all time wasters. Think of the time that you spend trying to find your addiction of choice and then all of the time you spend consuming that addiction. Not to mention, the time you use earning the money you need to acquire and consume the addiction. 

The Bible has great advice and instructions for us as we see in Proverbs. We can avoid wasting time by avoiding those wrong turns in life. Our addictions are wrong turns. To avoid making the wrong turns the solution is simple. What is it? “…seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness….” 

The Prophet Joel speaks of the years the locusts have eaten up in Joel chapter two. Our addictions are the locusts of today, and they are consuming the years of our lives. The good news is that if we will make a right turn toward God seeking Him first with our lives we can make up some of the lost time. The Bible tells us in Joel 2:25 NKJV, “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten….” Never stop seeking first the will of God in your life, and with each right turn God will continually restore more of the time you have wasted through your addiction.