The Privileged Life: Time and Time Again…

“And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” Daniel 2:21

On my husband’s desk is a charming antique clock from the early 1800s—a “beehive” pendulum clock that hasn’t run properly for decades, especially since we don’t wind it anymore. Its glass front is reverse-painted with a beehive, symbolizing industry, thrift, productivity, and wisdom…appropriate, indeed, for the way we should spend time.

We all live according to our clocks—from mighty Big Ben in London all the way down to tiny digits on our phones, and everything in between: towering grandfather, stately grandmother, gymnasium, mantel, bedside alarm, fitness devices, wristwatches.

At last count in our own household, we have more than 25 time-gauging devices, analog and digital. Our adult daughter has picked up on this love of timepieces, too, and we hope to someday give her an ornate Black Forest carved cuckoo clock when she marries.

However you measure it, time marches on in its orderly state, according to the years, seasons, days, hours, minutes, and seconds that God has ordained with the circling of our globe. Whether you want things to slow down or speed up, clocks are ruthless in their consistency. They wait for no one, ticking down our brief, vaporous lives here on Earth. We might manipulate time-keeping with Daylight Savings Time, which ended yesterday, but we have absolutely no control over the actual passing of time.

We’re accustomed to keeping track of dates and documenting our history according to our own timetable, and we consider some days to be more important than others…like tomorrow, when the United States chooses its leaders by casting ballots. We give this day great value because we worry about the election outcome, the future, our country’s health.

But in the great scheme of things, tomorrow is just another voting day that rolls around every four years, more than 50 times now since our nation was founded. We need to look at God’s perspective: for Him, a day is as a thousand years. He will not be “surprised” by the election results. He is not “surprised” by COVID either…it’s on His timetable, even though we plead with Him to shorten the duration of this pandemic.

In reality, though, we can’t fathom the eternal. How could our triune God exist before time began? How can He live without a clock, in the vastness of forever? It’s beyond our imagination.

His very name declares His eternality—He is the great “I AM”—the One who was, is, and is to come. And He has promised us a place in heaven with Him, an eternal life for those who trust in Jesus Christ.

You have only a finite number of days to spend here in service to Him, while an infinity lies ahead to spend in heaven or hell. So how can you be sure you’ll join God in His kingdom?

Turn to His word. Jesus gives us His very best promise in John 3:16. You can also be comforted by the words of His very good friend, John: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13)

Trust in the power and faithfulness of this eternal God, eternal Christ, and eternal Holy Spirit to lead you toward His everlasting peace. And there’s no time like the present to get started!

Father of all time, our Great “I AM,” we fall before You in adoration and wonder at Your infinite power and grace. Forgive us for living only in short-term thoughts…give us vision to see Your hand at work in our lives, preparing us for an eternity with You. Help us to trust you with all the times of our lives, from this moment forward. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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