86,400 to Invest

I have been given an investment to make each day that totals 86,400.  The stipulation is that I have to invest all of that amount each day and what is not spent is wasted.  There is no carryover of a balance into day two and so on.  Each day I get a new 86,400 to invest. 

By now, you probably have figured out that the 86,400 is seconds a day.  We all have been given the exact same investment and it is up to us to invest wisely.  I don’t know about you, but I feel like I waste so much time so often.  There are days where I question exactly what I did accomplish that day.  Sometimes I shortchange the 28,800 seconds I really need of sleep (like right now).  Is that a good investment?  I think it is but it is the one that many of us shortchange.  Is 2,700 enough for a concentrated bible study and prayer time in the morning.  I think so.  Could be more.  How about the 3,600 seconds on a good workout? 

Mindless time looking at junk e-mail may not be a good investment of time.  I probably spend 3,000 seconds on that.  Social technologies could be good or bad.  I am really glad I invest some time in Facebook and LinkedIn.  I have hooked up with old school chums and it keeps tabs on my kids activities and whereabouts.  But mind numbing time obsessing with that stuff to me is not a good investment.  For you Twitter dudes, I would imaging that you overdo time in this area.  I really don’t know why I would want to send text bits out all day.

The bottom line is you get to make the investment.  No one else can spend it for you unless you are incarcerated somewhere I suppose.  God gives each of us the same time – no more and no less.  I find that I must discipline myself to relax – seems strange, but I am wired to overdo it.  Same thing with relationships.  By my natural self, I will shortchange them.  I am not a pleasure seeker, but I love to work on “projects”.  I have to force myself into time with friends, family, and especially my wife.  I never regret it however.  God has wired us for relationship with both Him and His creation.  How more and more precious it becomes as I get older.  

What is Worthless?

I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me.
Psalm 101:3

I am a chronic planner. I like to account for all my time.  I keep copious records of tasks to be accomplished and am always disappointed when I can’t get them done.  I struggle with allocation of time to relationships, quiet time, or just reading or meditating.  I have learned the hard way multiple times that spending time in relationships whether vertical (with the Lord) or horizontal (with others) is so important.  When I was on my back for a period of time in the hospital a few years ago, there was not much choice to make.  I so wanted my other wife (my computer) but she was not accessible to me.  I hated being forced to relax. 

what is worthless?  Is it rooted in relationships?  Does it glorify myself or God?  Does it plant seeds that will bear fruit?  What is my motivation?  Day to day living is rooted in choices of where to invest my finite resource of time.  Answering questions like this allow me to make decisions without guilt.  Getting time to relax is also so important – I am not good at relaxing!  Debsue and I have started Friday nights as movie nights where we allocate a time to just relax and watch a good movie.  It is rooted in relationship.  It would not have been long ago where I would have deemed such an activity a waste of time because I would have focused on the task rather than the relationship.  Spending time just listening to good music or meditating on Scripture is a daily quest.  I so much want to get on with my day!  I thank God that he shows me that worthless or worthwhile often have to be measured carefully.