How can Isaiah 5:11 guide Christians in managing their time and priorities? The text itself Isaiah 5 : 11 “Woe to those who rise early in the morning to pursue strong drink, who linger into the evening, inflaming themselves with wine.” What the Lord is highlighting • Time can be spent in ways that either honor God or lure us away from Him. • This verse condemns a pattern of starting the day and ending the day around self-indulgence. • The warning is literal: God pronounces “woe” on lives ordered around pleasure instead of His purposes. How misuse of time shows up today • Checking social media the moment we wake up and scrolling until late night. • Binge-watching or gaming that crowds out Scripture reading, prayer, and family. • Filling every open slot on the calendar with entertainment while spiritual disciplines wait. • Allowing workaholism to consume mornings and evenings, becoming another form of “strong drink” that numbs us to God’s voice. Redeeming the morning • Psalm 5 : 3 — “In the morning, LORD, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait expectantly.” • Mark 1 : 35 — “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up... and there He prayed.” • First moments shape the rest of the day; give them to worship, the Word, and thankful planning instead of mindless entertainment. Guarding the evening • Psalm 4 : 8 — “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” • Deuteronomy 6 : 7 encourages talking of God’s commands “when you lie down.” • Evenings are for reflection, family conversation, and restful trust, not for pursuits that “inflame” the heart away from holiness. Setting God-centered priorities 1. Worship first, not last. 2. Obedience over indulgence. 3. Stewardship of every hour as a gift (Ephesians 5 : 15-16). 4. Relationships before recreation. 5. Eternal impact above temporary thrill (2 Corinthians 4 : 18). Practical steps for today • Place your Bible or devotional where your phone usually sits overnight. • Schedule a brief morning walk to pray through the day’s agenda. • Set a daily “sunset audit”: ten minutes to review how time was used and realign tomorrow. • Establish a no-screen window the last hour before bed to read Scripture with family or journal. • Memorize Isaiah 5 : 11 as a gentle checkpoint whenever you plan a party, vacation, or streaming lineup. The promise of redirected time When mornings and evenings revolve around the Lord, days become fruitful, consciences stay clear, and our witness grows bright (Matthew 5 : 16). God’s Word, taken literally, leads to practical freedom. |
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