Time is one of the most precious gifts that the Lord has given man. In giving people the gift of time, the Lord has ensured that no one may consider himself specially favored or disfavored. In his wondrous love, God has given the president of a populous nation and a simple street sweeper in that nation the same number of hours per day: 24. The president has not been given a 48 hour day while the street sweeper has been given a 24-hour day. God expects the president to faithfully use the 24-hour day given to him, to discharge his presidential duties. He also expects the street sweeper to use the 24-hour day given to him, to faithfully discharge his duties as a street sweeper.

If God has given people the same length of each passing day, then how do we account for the fact that some people seem to accomplish so much and others so little?

The difference comes in the way people use the 24 hours of each day that the Lord has given them. Some sleep for four hours and then carefully invest the remaining 20 hours on the priority issues of their lives, and thus make impact on the world. Others sleep for eight hours every day, then spend another eight hours doing nothing, because they are plagued with indecision, and the last eight hours are invested in non-essentials. These two groups of people, with 24-hour days, are investing them differently and will, consequently, reap different products from their lives.

I had the privilege of being brought up by a father who knew the importance of time and, consequently, used it wisely. When I handed the master key of my life to the Lord Jesus on the first of October, 1966, the word of God came alive in me and the godly principles in which I had been brought up (including the use of time) came alive in me and the Lord has helped me to begin to learn how to use time.