Time is a fascinating feature of our human existence. It is the stuff life is made of. We may lose some important items of life, but time is the most precious thing we could ever squander. We may be rich in worldly goods, but poor indeed if we have not time. Time is the context in which God created all things and allows history to record the events of His created order. We do well to redeem our time. Our sins are often complicated because of the lack of time. We do not have enough time to make all the money we crave. We do not have enough time to satisfy all our ambitions. We do not have enough time to go all the places there are to go. We do not have enough time to make everyone our closest friend. We do not have enough time for all the available thrills and excitements in our world of entertainment.
We are often trapped by our perceived lack of time and it raises our frustration level to the point of indigestion. In our attempt to do it all today we overload our daily human capacities. We try to borrow so much today from tomorrow that if we are not careful we will bankrupt our souls before our years are spent.
Life is passing us by far more quickly than we can absorb it. The longer we live the less likely we will live any longer. Yet, many of us go on living our lives as if there will never be a change of schedule. We become fanatically committed to a routine we assume will last forever. We have a work ethic that causes us to labor even during our leisure. Health and circumstances, however, have a way of inserting some unexpected holidays. Disease can play havoc when our bodies are fatigued. The fast lane takes its toll on our emotional and spiritual stability. Suddenly we find ourselves sidelined simply because we refuse to take some time-outs.
Rest is not the only cure for our misuse of time. Worship can also heal our exhaustion. Taking time for God is taking time for ourselves. The Creator has a way of resuscitating His creatures. We are made to have fellowship with God, and to ignore it is to add spiritual fatigue to the weariness of our flesh.
To see God in the daily flow of things has a calming effect on all we do. It enables us to make the most of our time because God has equipped us for productivity. He frees us to find fulfillment within the parameters of our daily allotment of time. As the song-writer suggests, “Take time to be holy.” Think on these things as you change your clock back this fall.
