(January 28, 2025) Robert and Maureen McQuillan encourage moving on in God…

We’re well into 2025… virtually February! Soon it’ll be Easter— not just choco eggs and bunny rabbits saga but celebrating our Saviour’s resurrection securing our forgiveness of sin and guarantee of eternal life!

Time really does fly it seems, especially to us seniors. Recently quite a few ‘oldies’ have said this to us and we’ve been encouraging them to keep on keeping on, especially if they’re still in ministry!

Yes it’s true that time does appear to go by so quickly when one gets older reminding us of that classical Latin phrase tempus fugit— ‘time flies’— attributed to Virgil‘s Georgics where it appears as fugit irreparabile tempus: ‘It escapes, irretrievable time.’

Such lost time cannot be made up!

Productive Times
Whatever time we have in this life, whatever age we may be, Jesus encourages us to keep on beaming for Him— ‘You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:14-16).

Light here is phos… like luminous rays of fire, shine is lampo to beam radiantly and deeds is ergon… labours, toils. So think in terms of fulfilling whatever Jesus would have you do for Him that will bless people in this dark world and turn them to our loving God.

John Wesley commented that ‘…the very design of God in giving you this light was that it might shine (Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16,11:33).’ F. B. Meyer commented ‘Our lives ought to serve also as light … We need to be kindled by the nature of God. Men light candles and God will light you. Let us burn and shine as John did, John 5:35. Beware of the bushel [bowl] and ask God to choose your stand.’

Matthew 5:16Mge is strong here, befitting of John’s example of his life serving God: ‘… be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.’  

As this dark world gets even darker, the challenge to us is to take whatever opportunities are ours to honour and serve our God and witness Jesus. But oh we can get so preoccupied with other matters and our ‘light’ doesn’t stand firm radiantly, burning and shining as Meyer encourages but ‘bowled.’

One understanding of tempus fugit is ‘time’s a-wasting!’ As an admonition against sloth and procrastination, ‘time’s a-wasting’ needs to be noted well in our day when everyone seems to be so busy and life itself can seem so uncertain. And as ‘a-wasted time’ is irretrievable, we need to employ another old saying— carpe diem— seize the day! For Christians this means that whatever days we have are to be radiantly productive in God’s service.

Purposeful Times
Know that we’re more than just candles! Lighted by God, we can make our time here purposeful!

Remember the late Robin Williams’ movie Dead Poets Society, in which he played an English teacher who inspired a class of students to seize the day and follow their dreams as unique individuals of value.

His striking encouragements caused thousands of young people to ‘make their lives extraordinary.’ He gave other good challenges— encouragements— such as ‘You must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Don’t be resigned to that. Break out!’

He also said, ‘Seize the day! Because, believe it or not, each and every one of us in this room is going to stop breathing, turn cold and die.’

Get it? We are not mere candles made by humans, but remade by Almighty God as a mighty light to shine for Him! Let’s make time work for us and keep on striving to achieve whatever God would have us be and do for Him, giving  ‘light to everyone in the house’ (Matthew 5:15)… the house being wherever He desires to use us.

Let’s be achievers for God— and see some remarkable times this year as we seize the days ahead!

Participation Times
But… many things can hold us back from seizing our day! Instead of continuing to move forward in all that God has for us whether we’re in our senior years or just in an earlier age bracket, distracting, negative thoughts can hold us back!

Such as: ‘I had great dreams, great hopes I believed would be backed by God; I prayed so earnestly… but nothing happened.’  Yes, life is life and things go wrong, prayers aren’t always answered— well, perhaps not immediately! Negativity can creep in to deflate and sidetrack us. 

Paul didn’t have life easy but he seized the day, grabbing every God-given opportunity to fulfil Jesus’ calling on his life. Boldly he declared his own version of carpe diem: ‘Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in Him!’ (Philippians 4:4Mge).

In verse 13, he highlighted the source of his ability to seize the day: ‘Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.’ Troublesome times throwing you? Realise that Paul’s sources— Jesus and the all-powerful Holy Spirit— are available to every Christian, every day!

The apostle’s main encouragement is verse 8: ‘Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious— the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.’

Paul’s encouragement to the Philippians— and us— is to revel in celebrating Jesus— this is chairo, to rejoice, to be full of cheer, happiness. Don’t think party time, think participation time— anticipating, enjoying, and revelling in whatever God wishes you to be into!

Positive Times
Are you revelling or resisting? Anticipating or avoiding? Rejoicing or rejecting? Maybe troublesome times have caused you to think negatively! Well, we would encourage you that our God has so many answers! Good answers, positive answers… such the following—

We may negatively PROCLAIM:	God of all answers declares  POSITIVELY:	Comforting scriptural  PROMISES:
‘It’s impossible.’	All things are possible	Luke 18:27
‘I’m too tired.’	I will give you rest	Matthew 11:28
‘Nobody loves me.’	I love you	John 3:16,34
‘I can’t go on.’	My grace is sufficient	2Corinthians12:9
‘I can’t figure it out.’	I will direct your steps	Proverbs 3:5-6
‘I can’t do it.’	You can do all things	Philippians 4:13
‘I’m not able.’	I am able	2Corinthians 9:8
‘It’s not worth it.’	It will be worth it	Roman 8:28
‘I can’t forgive myself.’	I Forgive you	1John 1:9
‘I can’t manage.’	I will supply all your needs	Philippians 4:19
‘I’m afraid.’	I didn’t give you fear	2Timothy 1:7
‘I’m always worried.’	Cast all your cares on me	1Peter 5:7
‘I’m not smart enough.’	I give you wisdom	1Corinthians1:30
‘I feel all alone.’	I’ll never leave you	Hebrews 13:5

Paul declared that ‘If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31). We could add ‘what’ to ‘who’ here… but point out that Paul recognised that meditating on these beautiful promises alone is not enough— he added (v9 NLT): ‘Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me— everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.’ 

Christians accepting God’s positives must make decisions resulting in faith actions! James challenged: ‘Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?’ (James 2:14Mge). He then declared in verse18, ‘Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.’ Back to our subject of time’s a-wasting— It’s time to break out!

Aged 31 a young man ‘broke out’ to follow his dreams in life and in doing so would victoriously proclaim ‘Veni, vidi, vici’— ‘I came, I saw, I conquered.’ His name? Julius Caesar, a thinker, visionary, and someone who definitely moved into action.

Committed Christians dare to move into action— not wasting time but seizing the day— whatever that will work out as. And remembering that God has a great plan of positives for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11).

Practice Times
Now it won’t be achieving a ‘big name,’ but accomplishing something important in the kingdom of God— for Jesus’ glory, not ours. Heeding Paul’s direction, we can all find something good to practise any day this new year. But more importantly, we need to move on from merely meditating and celebrating. God’s kingdom is still very important (Matthew 6:33) so let’s break the mold of ineffectiveness and irretrievable time by practising what we’ve learned!

Reflection should lead to daring action! Let’s avoid all hype and airy-fairy activities. Spirit-led, let’s practise achieving something of value for the kingdom.

Here’s the simplest action ever— Jesus said that even giving a glass of water to someone thirsty was important— ‘Why, anyone by just giving you a cup of water in my name is on our side. Count on it that God will notice’ (Mark 9:41). Now that’s easy… a mere glass of water, not being a pastor or missionary or achieving some stupendous deed.

Go seize the day – but be imaginative as led by the Spirit! Don’t be resigned to desperation! Let’s make our life extraordinary for Jesus. Then there will be no admonition of slothfulness and procrastination against us over irretrievable time!

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Dr Robert and Pastor Maureen McQuillan’s links OnlinerConnect@gmail.com / Facebook. / Article links: God Will Remember His Promises to You / Put Your Hand in God’s in 2025 / Dare to be in the Potter’s Hands in 2025 / Lemons in 2025? Trust God’s Promises/.
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