"The loudest insect in the world is the male cicada, which is a little creature similar to a cricket. When they rub their abdomens, the sound can be heard 1300 feet away.
Those are quite noisy little bugs. But lots of people will never hear a cicada, or any other sound of nature for that matter, because they won’t take time to go where they are. But, investing a day in the wilderness, either alone with the Lord or with your family, can be one of your most memorable investments of time.
We often complain about the high cost of family vacations. But our wilderness parks and forests are generally free or very inexpensive because you’ve already paid for them with your taxes.
Why get caught in the trap of vacations that leave you broke, frazzled and more worn out than when you left? This year, instead of an amusement park try exploring God’s parks as a way of redeeming the time.
"
"When we think of great men of prayer a name that nearly always comes to mind is George Mueller. Mueller had an unusual ability to pray in faith for God’s provision. As a result, God used George Mueller to start a great orphanage through which thousands of children were cared for both physically and spiritually.
You might think it obvious that the first thing George Mueller did each morning was pray. But it wasn’t, at least not later in his life. George Mueller wrote that for much of his life the first thing he did after dressing each morning was pray. But he later discovered that his prayer was clearer and more effective if he first spent time, “getting his soul happy in the Lord.”
That’s a tremendous insight from a mighty man of God. If one of history’s greatest prayer warriors didn’t feel right praying until his soul was happy in the Lord, perhaps you and I should consider that a good pattern for starting our day and for redeeming the time.
"
"A mother sea horse lays her eggs but then it is the father sea horse that carries the eggs in his pouch until they hatch. For some ladies who have experienced nine months of pregnancy that might sound like a pretty good arrangement.
The trend in Western culture for many years has been to delay motherhood later and later in favor of career advancement. This decision however has not always turned out well. Many of those who had dreaded pregnancy and child training, have discovered that they actually like being a mom, and want more children. But because they waited so long to begin their families, the biological clock has now run out on the possibility of providing any more siblings for their only child.
Consider this, if you died today, your employer would have a replacement for you in two weeks. But no one can replace mom. That’s why becoming a parent earlier, is a more sure way to redeem the time.
"
"The world’s most expensive hotel room is the Imperial Suite at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland. Its accessed by private elevator and takes up an entire hotel floor. It has four bedrooms, with lakefront views. The mahogany table in the dining room seats 26 guests, and the living room – with a billiards table, and library – can comfortably hold 40 people. All windows and doors are bulletproof. The cost is $33,000 per night.
Most of us would question why anyone would spend $33,000 on a place to stay one night. Why blow your money on such a temporary residence as a hotel, when that money would go a long way toward paying for a house you could live in permanently.
But, that’s what we as Christians do when we spend all our time improving our lot in this life while neglecting our eternal home. No matter how fancy we make our home in this world it is still a temporary residence. Investing in our permanent home is how we redeem the time.
"