These days, there are few daylight hours. Here in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, at latitude 52 degrees, 16 minutes north, on the winter solstice, December 21st, the shortest day of the year, there were 7 hours and 41 minutes of daylight. That was 9 hours and 5 minutes shorter than on the summer solstice six months previously! In the northern hemisphere, we get up and go to bed in the dark. If we didn’t have artificial light, the time to do what we need to do would be short indeed.
“But even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.” (Psalm 139:12 NLT)
If darkness and light are alike to God, why do we need them? We definitely need them to define times of work and rest, and, figuratively, time and eternity.
Jesus said, “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:4-5 NLT)
Do we have the same urgency as Jesus did to go about our Father’s business in this life, in whatever our sphere of influence is? Many Scriptures speak of the temporal nature of our lives.
“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered — how fleeting my life is.” (Psalm 39:4 NLT)
Sometimes when I think that God wants me to do something, I think, Do I have to do this now? Will I have to do this forever? I once won a hundred dollars for designing a logo. My friend said to me, “Do something significant with it.” So, I sent a little boy to camp along with my youngest son. Jeremy accepted the Lord there, but as he didn’t live in the same town as we did, and we moved away, we lost contact with him. I have no idea where that boy is now, or what he is doing. All I know is that when I was able, I took the opportunity to make an eternal difference in his life.
Your opportunities for the Lord may not be so dramatic. Usually, mine are not either. Let’s be diligent and actively seek opportunities to do good while it is still “day”. We may not pass that way again. Let’s do what God wants while we have the health and freedom to do so. Let’s use our time wisely until our life is ended or Jesus returns.
Work, for the night is coming;
Anna Louisa Coghill
Work through the sunny noon;
Fill the bright hours with labour;
Rest comes sure and soon.
Give every flying minute
Something to keep in store;
Work, for the night is coming,
When man works no more.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You created day and night, darkness and light for Your purposes. Help us to be mindful of the daylight that You give us, to do what You are telling us to do while we can. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Copyright © 2022, by Alice Burnett <terrencera.burnett@gmail.com>, first published on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional presbycan.ca .
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Reprinted from PresbyCan with author’s permission