Living by the Minute

You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer. (Job 14:5 NLT)

Staying connected and contactable at all times is not something impossible these days with communication tools such as cellular phones, wireless devices and other gadgets. In fact, to some of us, being reachable anytime anywhere may be an expected norm, and to be without our tools of communication just for a few minutes may leave us feeling disengaged, lost or disconcerted.

Many of us, like me, may live our lives as if we are working or on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, contactable round the clock to the minute. The fast pace we live in often keeps us rushing all the time—from morning to evening, day after day. We rush to get our breakfast done or skip our breakfast to get on with the day. We rush to get to work or school, and we rush to complete our assigned tasks to meet the deadlines. By the end of the day, we are frequently left exhausted, stressed and worn out, yet for some of us, we continue to do things hurriedly even at home, and sometimes even work through the night. Such a lifestyle of minute to minute rush bears consequences and depletes health, even with the young and energetic.

The author of Ecclesiastes said, “Young people, it's wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do” (Ecclesiastes 11:9 NLT).

Young or old is of course not the focus here. It is remembering we have to give account to God for everything we do that we ought to pay attention to. We may not be enjoying every minute of our lives and may even be living hectic lives just to achieve important goals. Nevertheless, we must know that our lives are not our own but have been bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Our lives and lifestyle should therefore glorify God and not be lived in a way that is detrimental to our health. Sadly, however, few people realize the consequence that comes with not keeping account of our lives to God in the things we do until it is too late.

Our Lord Jesus Christ makes it very clear that He had come that we may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). Should we therefore not live our lives fruitfully to the fullest for the purpose of God that we may be blessed abundantly? Should we not keep account how we live our lives, since the length of our days on earth has been predetermined and we cannot in anyway extend it even a minute longer (Job 14:5)?

Living our lives by the minute is nothing wrong, so long as we make every minute counts. The minutes we spend with God studying His word and conversing with Him are time well spent. The minutes we express our love to our family, relatives, friends and reach out to meet the needs of the poor are also fruitful and good. Spending a few minutes to take a break, relax and rest from time to time is important too if we hope to live our lives to the fullest, according to the abundant life our Lord has intended for us.

Let us therefore regularly and purposefully make time to take some minutes off to free ourselves from the distraction of this world—the mobile phone, wireless devices, radio, TV, gadgets and the likes—and quiet ourselves before God. Let us constantly get connected with God to converse with Him and remain on call anytime anywhere for His purpose.

Help us dear Lord to take time to pause from our constant rush in our daily lives to spend meaningful minutes amid the fast pace to quiet ourselves before You. Lead us and keep us in Your will Lord through every minute of our lives, that we may not become caught up into living a lifestyle that is unfruitful or that ruins our health. Remind us to always keep account of what we are doing that we may live our lives abundantly according to Your purpose.