Thamsing Lamkang
One of the most important things in sport is to know how to use every minute of every game. Sometime there are 90 minutes to a match, but sometimes not. The coach may take you out of the game, or you might get hurt. Life is a great ‘Match’, and our minutes are numbered for us. We must use the time God has given us wisely.
Very few athletes have managed to win both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters races in the history of the Olympic Games. But Mirus Yifter did it in Moscow in 1980, when he demonstrated he could win in the category dominated by Ethiopian runners. The difficulty was not only competing in two races of different lengths, but also recuperating in the short time between the finals of both races. He managed the free times in between the two races and won both the race to make a history. In life anything can be achieved if we know how to use the available resting time.
We won’t always be strong as we are now. We won’t always be on top physically or intellectual form. We won’t always have the chances God gives us now. How many days will we weep over lost opportunities? How many sad memories will be with us forever? Right now we have strength, time, and energy; so now is when we should use our opportunities to do something of value!
One of the worlds well known cricketer, a former captain of South Africa Hansie Cronje, who formally died in a plane crash. His capability of leadership in his team was exceptionally recognize worldwide. Whenever they play a game he often challenges his team members by asking a play question to carry in their heart while playing in the field. Ask yourself in every few minutes, ‘what have I contribute for my team in the past 3 minutes?’ if you can frequently ask this question, we’re sure to win any team match, no matter how tough it is.
If the same question is ask to a Christian man, what have I done for the Lord in the past 24 hours? Then, we will be more successful and fruitful in our faith life, no matter how difficult it is.
God Himself (Bible) says that we must remember Him while we are young. If we waste our time, energy and opportunities on useless or even destructive things, we act foolishly, and we’ll sorry some day! God wants each one of us to accept Him as Lord of our lives, since that is the only way our lives will have meaning. Don’t throw away your time voluntarily, nor be a cowardly Christian. Remember your creator while you’re still young, and serve God while you still have the energy.
‘The one who wastes time today because he has it…will run out of time some day’:
You’re only young once. Only at that time of your life will you have all your strength, all your time, all your will, all your dreams. You’ll never be like that again. You’ll never again have the ability to do 20 things a day, and still go to bed with the same strength as when you woke up! Never again will you feel so free of problems, with the determination and the innocence of someone who wants to conquer the world. You’re young only once in your life. Remember your creator, now while you are young.
Many people use this argument: I’ve lots of time. Later on I’ll devote more time to God. Many people have waited till ‘later on’ but discover that it’s no more than one of the Devil’s illusions. With their lives nearly over they regret the time they have lost. They regret not remembering their creator when they were young.
It is a great temptation to leave God ‘for later on’. We always fall for the same old trick.
Youth life is brief, so is our life short on earth! In the context of our Baptist churches, we called youth member after they took water baptism. We don’t know how long he/she will become a youth member in the church. Because I have seen many youths who become the youth member and within few months or year eloped and got married. They didn’t even enjoy their youth life. Many youths never experience the sweet moments of their youth life. The rest will be followed by regrets of their past life. They wanted to do it now but it’s already too late.
It’s one of the common characteristics of sport that the last few minutes are the most exciting. It seems as though the rest of the game has no value. In the last minute everyone wants to score the crucial points or the winning goal. And it’s hardly ever possible. It’s very difficult to regain, in just a few minutes, what you’ve lost in the previous hour.
One day we will feel the same way about our lives. If we are to hear someone say, “Your time is over”, we would quickly despair. We would start running around searching for a way to prolong our life, hoping for a few more minutes, a few more hours. But it won’t be possible; eventually our time will be finished. How will it be the day your life ends? Will it be a desperate day or a day of glory? Remember that you don’t know when the clock of your life is going to stop. When we take part in a game, we know at what moment end will arrive. But life is not simply as a game; it is much more.
One unexpected day the end will come and then we won’t have a chance to do anything more. Have you prepared for that day? Or you will be like a man who had everything: money, power, fame, glory, but he didn’t know how to prepare for the end. What would happen to you when you heard that phrase, ‘God has numbered your days and brought them to an end’? Would you know what was about to happen next?
Because, in spite of everything, God says that your life is not coming to an end. You’re going to remain consciousness after death-for ever. Where this will be depends entirely on the decisions you make on earth. Of you’ve believed in God you’ll continue living for Him for All Eternity. If you’ve rejected Him you’ll live condemned for ever, without any possibility of changing your situation. If that is what you’ve chosen, there’s no other place. There’s no other possibility. Your time is running out, eternity is coming. You make the choice-now.
When the final whistle blows, there are only two results: the winner is one, and the other is the loser!
God’s blessing waits you, receive it today!
