Message Minute (Redeeming Lost Time)

Have you ever thought to yourself, “I've wasted so much time." The good news is that while we cannot go back in time, we serve the Author of time who specializes in redemption. God's promise in Joel 2:25 to "restore the years that the locust has eaten" reminds us that He can redeem what seems irretrievably lost. While we cannot recover spent time, God can multiply the fruitfulness of our remaining time in ways that compensate for past waste. This isn't a promise that we can procrastinate and expect God to somehow bend the laws of physics to give us more time. Rather, it's an assurance that when we surrender our time to Him—including our regrets about misspent time—He can work miracles of efficiency and effectiveness that we couldn't achieve on our own. But don't assume you'll have time later to get right with God or to begin living with Kingdom priorities. As Hebrews 3:13 urges, respond to God "while it is still called today." Whatever time you have—whether many decades or just a few days—is enough when surrendered to the God who transcends time itself.

Verse: "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten." — Joel 2:25

Reflection Question: What "lost years" do you need God to restore? How might surrendering those regrets to Him free you to use your remaining time more faithfully?

Prayer: Redeeming God, I confess the ways I've wasted the gift of time You've given me. Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning. I surrender my time—past, present, and future—to You. Redeem what has been lost and multiply the fruitfulness of what remains. Help me, starting today, to live each moment in light of eternity. May I not be one who says "late have I loved you," but one who loves and serves You with wholehearted devotion while it is still called today. Amen.