Dear young people,

Today I desire to present you with some thoughts on the practical subject, "How to Use Leisure Time." I have no hesitation in informing you from the outset that this is the most difficult topic I have ever spoken on at a Youth Day – difficult because there are so many different attitudes and viewpoints with regard to leisure time.

And yet I feel burdened to speak to you about this topic for several reasons. First, because I have received so many questions from young people in the past relative to the use of leisure time both for yourselves and for dating relationships. Next to questions pertaining to salvation itself, I am not sure if there is another area where I have received so many questions. Thus I know that this subject is very practical and needs to be addressed.

Secondly, the way we spend our time has a profound influence upon our lives. The direction of our lives is often determined by those relationships, projects, and ideas to which we devote the bulk of our so-called "free" time.

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, our use of leisure time quite ac­curately mirrors who we are. This is so by nature of the very definition of leisure, namely, "freedom provided by the cessation of activities; especially time free from work or duties." What we do when free from necessary work and duties usually unveils the goals of our lives.

As I hope to provide you with various practical points today relative to the use of time, I would encourage you to take notes on the outline provided you. As you can observe, I aim to approach our subject from a threefold perspective. First, I would lay out for you some biblical principles that ought to influence your use of leisure time. Second, I would offer you some practical suggestions from a positive perspective on how to use time. Third, in closing with some words of application, I would admonish you in love from a negative perspective about the dangers of using leisure time wrongly.

Biblical Principles⤒🔗

Principle #1: Time must serve the glory of God←↰⤒🔗

The first biblical principle which relates to the use of leisure time is that which Paul states powerfully in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." This principle is echoed beautifully in the renowned first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: "What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever."

The glory of God is the over-riding principle of all of life. God's glory is the purpose of our creation from which we have voluntarily fallen in Adam. God's glory must become, by grace, the purpose of our re-creation. And God's glory is the purpose of eter­nity. In Revelation 4:10-11 we read that the twenty-four elders in glory shall fall down before the Son of God, "and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour, and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created."

Consequently, whether converted or unconverted, we must seek grace to pass everything we do in our spare time thorough the sieve of this first, all-important question: "Is what I am the glory of God, we must seek strength to abstain from, and to change, such activity."

By nature, of course, we cannot glorify God in our hearts; nevertheless, we are still called to do so, for God created us upright, focused upon Him and His glory. Our inability does not excuse our responsibility. Our in­ability accuses us. Being unconverted never excuses us from the commands of God's Word. My dear young friends, if you are as yet unconverted, pray not only for strength to spend your time in legitimate activities, but especially pray that God may convert you and change the very motives of your soul in time-usage and activity. Pray in this regard, "Lord, do for me what I cannot do for myself." And if the Lord has begun savingly in you, will you not need the same prayer, for are not our souls weak and prone to backsliding? If we are born again, must we not be grieved, ashamed, and embarrassed at how little of our time is really motivated by and for the glory of God?

Principle #2: Our time is not our own←↰⤒🔗

The psalmist confesses: "My times are in Thy hands" (Ps. 31:15). This means, dear young people, that our time does not belong to us. Time is God's gift to us. We cannot simply do with our time what we want to do, but must ask also in regard to leisure time, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" If we are serious about living a biblical, Christian lifestyle – as I pray that you are – also our leisure time must be placed in the framework of 1 Corinthians 6:19, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

Principle #3: Time is precious and short←↰⤒🔗

You and I have only one soul. We are all traveling to eternity. Life is short – less than a drop in a bucket compared to the timelessness of infi­nite eternity. Scripture compares the brevity of our life to a shadow that flees away (Job 14:2b), to a hand­breadth (Ps. 39:5), to an eagle hasting to its prey (Job 9:26), to a weaver's shuttle (Job 7:6), to grass growing up in the morning and withering in the evening (Ps. 90:5b-6; 103:15a), to a flower that is cut down (Job 14:2a; Ps. 103:15b-16), to a tale that is told (Ps. 90:9b). Especially elderly people bear out this truth constantly. Hundreds of times I have heard them confess: "I can't believe I'm this old. My life was so short." Our brief earthly pilgrimage must be a preparation for the great Judgment Day.

The welfare of our never-dying soul is a matter too great to be trifled with or delayed. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2b). Salvation in Jesus Christ by the saving work of the Holy Spirit is the one thing needful. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mt. 16:26). Oh, my dear young friends, you need time for your precious souls! Time is God's precious commodity given to you in order to seek His redeeming grace. "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near" (Is. 55:6).

Principle #4: Time must be redeemed←↰⤒🔗

Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (5:15-16), and to the Colossians, "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time" (4:5). In original Greek usage, this expression, "redeeming the time," signifies "to embrace and improve every opportunity of doing good" – good in relationship to God, to myself, and to my neighbor. Thus, we are called to use our leisure time in the spirit of love – love to God above all and to our neighbor as ourselves.

To redeem something means to buy it back. To redeem time means to quite literally retrieve time from the clutches of Satan, temptation, and our own sin-prone hearts.

Principle #5: Leisure time must be used in a biblically balanced way←↰⤒🔗

Solomon teaches us beautifully that there is a suitable time for all lawful things in life: "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace … God hath made everything beautiful in His time … I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work" (Eccl. 3:1-8, 11a, 17).

Let us pray for grace to keep these five principles in mind – time must serve the glory of God; time is not our own; time is precious and short; time must be redeemed; time must be used in a biblically balanced way.