IT’S HALF TIME
(Psalm 90:12; Habakkuk 3:2; Mark 6:31; 1 Samuel 30:8: 2 Timothy 4:7-8; Psalm 100)
“Teach us to make the most of our time…teach us to live wisely and well.” Ps 90:12, NLT, MSG.
“Lord, I heard thy praising, and I dreaded; Lord, it is thy work, in the middle of years, quicken thou it. In the middle of years, thou shalt make (thyself) known; when thou shalt be wroth, thou shalt have mind of mercy.” (Lord, I have heard of thy deeds, and I am filled with reverence for thee; Lord, it is thy work, in the midst of the years, quicken thou it/do thou it again. In the midst of the years, thou shalt make thyself known; even when thou shalt be angry, thou shalt remember to be merciful) Habakkuk 3:2 WYC.
“And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.” Mark 6:31 KJV.
“And David inquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And He answered him, pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.” 1 Sam 30:8 KJV.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” KJV.
“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye land. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing…” Psalm 100. KJV.
Cheers to the seventh month of the year! It’s half-time already. You are welcome to July.
Most of us are familiar with the game of soccer. It is a game of two halves, and as we all know, regardless of what the scores may have been at the end of the first half, tides can turn in the second half. We call this a COMEBACK. However, if the leading team goes ahead to win the game, we say they have CONSOLIDATED their victory. There is also the analogy of two people asked to describe a glass filled halfway with water. The first called it a half-full glass, while the other called it half-empty. Here, we can see differences in perspectives.
We are halfway into the year already, with the first six months gone forever. What then can we do in the remaining six months ahead of us? I have some suggestions for you:
Like the events that usually happen during the half-time of a soccer game, you may need to take a few days off to rest. In Mark 6:31, Jesus invited His disciples to rest for a while (retreat), having laboured for some time. After resting for a while, you may take stock, and look back into the first half of the year. Access what went well and what did not go well - your successes and failures - your high moments and your low times.
Give glory, honour, and thanks to God for all your beautiful achievements, and for the grace to see the second half of the year. Psalm 100.
Look unto Him for strength, and rest your mind on Him in trust and hope for His turn around in the second half of the year.
You may have to re-strategize or change your style. If you keep doing the same thing over and over, you are likely going to keep getting the same output. Introduce new concepts, discipline, goal setting and prioritizing, changing your circle of friends and making new ones that can help you win or re-discovering Jesus again - if your life has been battered with sin.
Like in the case of a comeback in the second half of a football match, you can choose to have a comeback too. The implication of this is that we must acknowledge (Prov 28:13, MSG) that we may not have made good use of the time we had in the first half, but we are ready to put in the work to cover up lost distance and make up for lost time. Thankfully, we serve a God of mercy and speed (1 Kings 18:46). By His help and grace, as we take responsibility and make wise use of our time, doing all we can and need to do, we will get the desired end that God has prepared for us.
For those who made judicious use of the first half, gaining and gathering momentum, the second half of the year is the time to launch out and make quantum moves, to build, consolidate and establish your win. Move in the might and capacity that you have built (Judg 6:14a). It is not a time to relent or become casual. It is written that the latter days shall exceed the former. This includes not just outcomes, but responsibilities - more commitment, more consistency, more diligence, more work. It would be unfortunate to lose the progress one has already made. We know how painful it is for a team that was leading in the first half of a game to lose just because they became too careless and relaxed. Don’t be that team.
Whether you are in either of the two scenarios, or whether you are in the middle (that is, you were not completely idle, but you could have done better with the time that you had), the second analogy becomes pertinent. How do you see the remaining six months? How do you see the past six months? As empty, with no potential for anything good? Or do you see greatness and potential in it? What you see will determine if you are ready to take diligent and needed steps or not. Ps 65:11 helps us understand that the second half contains the crowning months of the year. Do not lose faith because certain outcomes did not occur how and when you desired. Eccl 9:4 reassures us that there is hope; as long as there is still time left, there is hope for a greater outcome. Until the whistle is blown, until the year actually ends, it is not over till it is over.
So, it is half-time now. I pray that by the end of the year, you will look back and be thankful for how far you have come; that you will have a sense of achievement knowing that you made wise use of your time, you fought a good fight, and you have finished well. 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
Therefore, I encourage you to pause, take stock of the first half of 2023, praise God for your life, rest your mind, recuperate, re-strategize, and re-emerge strongly.
“One day your life will flash before your eyes, be sure to live a life that is worth watching.” –- Pst Nike.