KILLING TIME

Many Bible verses come to mind as we read this unusual piece of news. Verses condemning laziness, verses urging good works—there are many of these that suit. But two verses from Psalm 90 seem more appropriate than them all. “Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so thy wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (verses 11, 12.)

What the Psalmist is getting at about God’s anger is the fact that since man is in a condemned state on account of sin, the wrath of God hangs over his head like an axe or guillotine ready to fall from holy heaven to end his days on earth and begin his eternity under divine judgment. “He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3.18.) You see how the Old and New Testaments agree? Sure, the first part of the verse (which I left out) says that he that believes on Jesus is not condemned. But I’m not speaking to the believer. I’m looking for sinners unconverted.

Does this kind of preaching surprise you? I’m not surprised if it does. Virtually all we hear nowadays is that “God so loved the world.” You think you’re alright on account of those five words? The rest of the story the fearful pastors will not tell you. And they are more guilty of not applying their hearts to wisdom than all the lazy fools in all the world, and your soul’s blood they are responsible for. They’ve killed a lot of time playing with the Scriptures instead of studying, emphasizing the love of God as if you were in the clear. You are not in the clear. Because your guiltiness reaches up to God, then God threatens to cast you down all the way to hell. No matter how insignificant you feel your sins to be, they have condemned you already. To make matters worse, you have killed time watching TV, playing golf, shopping for stuff you don’t need, or who knows what else. Count your days, the Psalmist is telling you. Don’t presume you have so many left. Next when you are tempted to kill time, apply your heart to wisdom instead. Find that secret Way to avoid God’s Wrath. This Way will remain a secret to you unless you quit idling away your time. Apply yourself to getting wisdom! Even if I reveal the secret: “I [Jesus] am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14.6)—chances are the time-waster will not understand. Can you not at least utter a prayer to God? Ask him to empower you to exchange your time-squandering activity so you can apply yourself to wisdom.

You must get wise to the reality of the power of God’s anger before it overtakes and amazes you! The Psalmist asks, ‘Who knows the power of God’s anger?’ No one can measure it. But those already in hell could tell you a great deal about it.