Time is of the essence. God gives us the opportunity to make good use of our time; however, whether we take advantage of these opportunities is still up to us. Here are two reasons why.

First, our decisions and actions from each moment forward affect the essence of time looking back.  If through God’s grace we are reaching forward to what lies ahead, then we will have little to no need to forgive or regret what lies behind. With God’s grace, the decisions that we make today, tomorrow, and beyond will not commit us to servicing our past; rather, we can live free and unencumbered.  

The second involves the way our lives impact future generations when our lives come to an end.  We must make the most of the brief period in time that we occupy.  I know that encouragement sounds horribly cliché, but it is so important!

Consider the state of literature and learning if William Shakespeare and Johannes Gutenberg believed that what they were doing did not matter. What about the apostles Peter and Paul?  If they had lost hope and returned to their previous vocations after the crucifixion and ascension of Christ, would we even know about Christianity?  Then we could consider Sir Isaac Newton, Galileo, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein, to name just a few.  Had they taken another attitude or path, what would the state of science and technology be today?

Can you see them all plugged into us and our faith, art, or science?  I can.  Each and every one of us has the same potential to make a difference with respect to time and the essence of time; however, just as in the world of physics, potentiality is null and void without an action.

Successively, this collective linkage to each era, generation, and person has the potential to inspire and sustain a continuance of time and essence. As we may feel Gutenberg, Shakespeare, and Newton plugged into us, influential predecessors plugged into them as well.  Someone had to inspire them. Then they inspired us, and collectively we inspire future generations.  The significance of what and who inspires us, however, is not a matter of celebrity, intellect, or a myriad of other factors.  Inspiration makes that difference in a person’s life no matter how insignificant or inconspicuous it may seem.

Today may be your last, or it could even be tomorrow.  The scheme of the path in life where God wants you to walk should put a sense of urgency into you.  You do not have to win a Pulitzer, Oscar, or Grammy.  Maybe writing a letter, making a visit, sharing a meal, or praying for another person can extend your essence into tomorrow and beyond, but you will contribute only if you choose to take advantage of the time you have left!  Time is of the essence.  So get off your backside and get with it!  Time is running out, and future generations are depending on you.