Since our relationship with God is all taken care of, what should we do with our time? No smile toward the heavens will make us more charming to God. No penance can make up for recent wrongdoing. We have nothing God needs, nor can we give up something so he can have more of it. Beating ourselves up more severely won’t convince him we recognize how unworthy we are. More time at the fitness center won’t make us more attractive to him. We can’t show him anything he doesn’t already see. Even reading several of these devotions every day won’t persuade him we really want to be holy. Not one of the many moments God gives us needs to be spent making ourselves right with him. We are saved by grace. It is finished. So, what in all the world should we do with our time?

“Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus” (1 Peter 4:10,11 MSG).

This is hard to keep straight, but what God wants us to do with our time is to turn it completely outward. He wants us to bend the arc of every day away from ourselves toward others. He wants us to spread his love around so everyone gets in on it.