"Carpe diem" is a Latin phrase made popular by a 1989 American film titled The Dead Poets Society. In the film, Robin Williams portrayed a teacher who tried to inspire his students to make the most of the people and opportunities around them. The phrase, taken from a poem the Roman author Horace wrote more than 2,000 years ago, translates into English as "seize the day." But what might that phrase have to do with us as Christians? Does it have any bearing on Christ's command that we "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33)?
When I was in college, I was impatient to complete my education and finally "get on with life." After all, I was obtaining my education so I could move into a career and a life that I would love. Then, in the final nine months of my college experience, God allowed me to observe some sobering events in the lives of several people I knew:
- A recent college graduate in our Church area found an excellent job, became engaged to be married, then died suddenly in a car crash.
- A husband and father in our congregation, in his forties, died in another car crash.
- A 20-year-old colleague of mine, recently engaged to be married, was diagnosed with testicular cancer and died six months later.
- The woman who later became my wife lost a very close friend in a car crash.
This string of events taught me a profound lesson; I was getting on with life, and I needed to make the most of every day— because there was no guarantee of a tomorrow. This realization did not scare me, but rather helped me think more clearly about my current life and the future for which I hoped.
Several years later, the wife of a family friend died of breast cancer at age 34, leaving behind her husband and three small children. This again served as a strong reminder: "Seize the day!"
Redeem the Time
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:15–17). The word translated as "redeem" can also mean "to rescue from loss, to improve one's opportunity" (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance); the dictionary defines "redeem" as "to win back or change for the better" (Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictionary). These definitions show us how Paul's admonition to "redeem the time" focused on reclaiming time that was or could be lost or taken away. The New International Version translates Ephesians 5:15–16 as: "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity…" The Apostle Paul is reminding us to take full advantage of each moment we have been given, because once it is gone we will never get it back.
The question for each true Christian is: "Do I spiritually take advantage of the time that God has given me, or do I waste or squander it?"
Why should we maximize our time—or seize the day, spiritually speaking? Because there are profound consequences for failing to do so!
In Matthew 25, in His parable of the wise and foolish virgins, Jesus Christ used ten virgins to symbolize the Church. Five of the virgins were foolish, and five were wise. All had oil lamps, but only the wise had the foresight to fill their lamps with oil. This symbolized their stirring up the gift of God's Holy Spirit by taking the time to pray, study, meditate and fast (2 Timothy 1:6). The foolish virgins neglected to stir up God's gift, so their lamps were empty— their lives empty of God's Holy Spirit and devoid of a close relationship with God.
The parable shows that while the bridegroom (symbolizing Christ) delayed, all the virgins slept, just as many in the body of Christ have slumbered in the past and were nearly deceived when apostate leaders tried to take the Church off course. Only as the bridegroom was returning (v. 6) did all the virgins wake up and trim their lamps. Though they had been sleeping, they tried mightily to rekindle the flame of the Holy Spirit and draw close to God once again. The wise virgins succeeded, but the foolish virgins could not—so, in desperation, they asked the wise virgins for help. The wise virgins understood that they could not work out someone else's salvation, so they advised the foolish virgins to try to re-fill their own lamps—in effect, to hurry up and build a relationship with God.
However, by the time the foolish virgins had "bought their oil," the bridegroom had welcomed the wise virgins to the wedding. Though the foolish virgins begged to enter, the bridegroom refused them, saying, "I do not know you" (v. 12).
Christ ended the parable by admonishing us, "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (v. 13). The foolish virgins— who did not maintain a close relationship with God through regular Bible study, prayer, meditation and fasting—were caught completely off guard and were spiritually unprepared when the bridegroom returned.
Whether young or old, we cannot afford to become side-tracked by cares of the world. We must not let relationships and other seemingly important issues distract us from growing spiritually and staying close to God. The parable of the wise and foolish virgins shows us that we cannot expect to "wait until the last minute" spiritually; we cannot make up for years of spiritual neglect in a very short time.
Even a Vapor…
Indeed, not one of us knows when our "last minute" will be. James wrote: "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that'… Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:13–15, 17).
What happens if we assume, "I have many more years to live. I can live as I want to for now, and then turn around, live God's way, and focus spiritually at the end of life"? This perspective is like playing "spiritual Russian roulette." It is putting off until tomorrow what we should be doing today—even though we cannot be sure that we will have a tomorrow.
God has repeatedly reminded me that I must not think this way—that I must instead "seize the day" spiritually. God admonishes us to "exhort one another daily, while it is called 'Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13). Taylor, in his Living Letters edition of the Bible, translates "while it is called 'Today'" more pointedly, as: "while there is still time…"
Any one of us can easily fall prey to Satan's deception that time will go on for a long while, and that we have plenty of life yet to live. But Scripture tells us otherwise! The recent, sudden deaths of beloved saints in God's Church should teach us the vital lesson that we are not guaranteed a tomorrow!
God may choose to let us depart from this life whenever He decides it is time. But even if our physical life continues for many years, Scripture warns that many will fail to watch world events and will be unable to recognize the signs at hand, having become distracted by the cares of this world. These distracted individuals will also neglect their spiritual responsibilities. Some will miss out on the Philadelphian reward, and will go into the Great Tribulation. Others will quench the Holy Spirit they once had, and will miss out on the first resurrection entirely!
Whether we are young or old— or somewhere in between—we cannot afford to neglect the calling God has placed before us. He has given us the opportunity to be overcomers— and to ask for, be given and then stir up the gift of His Holy Spirit. We cannot afford to "put off" receiving such a gift. We must not fail to develop our relationship with our Father— and with His Son, Jesus Christ!
So, carpe diem! Seize the day, while it is still called today! Do not let Satan deceive you into assuming you have plenty more time. Do not delay drawing close to God! Be sure you do not miss out on what God wants for you!