Just How Valuable Is Five Minutes in the Light of Eternity?

Ever give any thought to small increments of time such as five or ten minutes in the course of a normal day? I’d have to admit, never… until last Saturday. Moments into a routine kitchen task, a question confronted me: Just how valuable is five minutes in the light of eternity?

While washing a sink-load of dishes, I listened to a podcast of Alistair Begg’s address to Wheaton College students, “Make the Most of Every Opportunity.” Brush streaking arcs of soapsuds across the plate, I settled in, expecting to hear a message on evangelism. Instead, the gifted Scottish preacher’s message planted a startlingly real question in my senior heart. Just how valuable is five minutes in the light of eternity?

The Purpose

The writer of Psalm 90 urges readers to ask the Lord to, “Teach us to number our days aright—that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Ps 90:12)

Modern versions drop the aright, likely assuming readers wouldn’t be asking God to help them order their days any other way. Aright means correctly or properly. In today’s world, that often has a fluid meaning. Not only is correctness relative to each person, but the individual has the freedom to flip from one standard to another at will.

Alistair Begg explained to the students that in the context of the psalm, aright means estimating time in light of eternity. Why would young people even want to do that with their whole lives still ahead of them?

In order to “gain a heart of wisdom,” according to the psalmist. Often, our decisions and plans have eternal consequences. Following God’s counsel will develop in each of us that heart of wisdom we need to succeed—even in today’s high-tech world.

The Challenge

Pastor Begg asked the gathering to consider the following situation: If the bank offered you $86,400.00 at the start of each day, warning that not a penny could be carried over to the next day, what would you do?

I knew what I’d do—withdraw every penny every day. What I didn’t spend, I’d give away. My mind raced to list all the good causes to which I’d donate the excess cash.

The joyful ponderings screeched to a halt as Alistair drove his point home. I’d dropped like a rock into his well-laid trap.

The Truth

Every day, we’re given 86,400 seconds to use. None will be carried over to use the following day. What’s not used is lost.

Listening to him expound, I realized I often did exactly what Alistair warned the students against. I frittered away five minutes here, ten minutes there—never really giving thought to the cumulative effect of those lost moments.

Squandering time doesn’t usually happen in one huge lump, but more often is just whittled down by increments. How many times have the planning/thinking sessions dragged out until not enough time remained in the afternoon to start anything? “Tomorrow’s another day,” is my common refrain on a summer afternoon.

Lack of awareness of the small bits of time affects productivity. Got it! This old girl’s gonna learn some new tricks.

No major changes are needed in the way I use my 86,400 seconds, but I’m asking the Lord to teach me how to number each day aright—considering each small segment of time as important. Even though I’m now a senior citizen, I want to gain that heart of wisdom. In some ways, I need it even more now.

The Reminder

Alistair Begg capped his powerful message with a poignant reminder of the value of small increments of time.

How valuable is

• one year? Ask the student who failed a grade.

• one month? Ask the mother of a premature baby.

• one week? Ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

• one day? Ask the daily wage earner with kids to feed.

• one hour? Ask two people in love who are waiting to meet.

• one minute? Ask the person who missed the train.

• one second? Ask the person who just avoided an accident.

• one millisecond? Ask the person who won a silver Olympic medal.

Conclusion

Just how valuable is five minutes in the light of eternity? More than I’d imagined. Each moment of the day is a gift from God. I can use it or lose it; it’s completely my own decision.

In truth, it’s as much of a shame to squander the moments set for relaxation as for work. There’s a time for everything in the course of those 86,400 seconds. I’m learning to be more aware of each one—numbering my days aright.

If you’d like to listen to the full length of this address, you can go to Alistair’s website. Truth for Life offers all of his messages free of charge. The podcasts provide brief, daily teaching. Alistair Begg’s delightful Scottish accent and humor are guaranteed to put a smile on your face while ministering solid Biblical truth.

Enjoy your day—every second of it!