From Mom’s Collection – Thoughts On Time

Psalms 31:15  My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

As this is time change Sunday here in the U.S., I thought I’d share some things on the subject of time.  Two of the items come from my mom’s collection.
This first item she typed on a page from a little red ring-binder she used at least as far back as the time of her wedding.  (I know this because her list of expenditures is in it.)

Do you have a problem with TIME?
My name is Time.  I haven’t always been, and I won’t always be.  But right now I’m on the move, measuring out life.  Men wait for me, submit to me, fear me; but no one can stop me.  EXCEPT GOD.  He is in control, and He says I am running out….Most men couldn’t care less.  They think I’m on the move forever.  But I’m not.  And when I stop, eternity will keep right on going…. 

[Author unknown]
My thought:  This is very interesting to think about.  We don’t usually consider that time had a beginning, and even though the scripture tells us that time shall be no more (Rev. 10:6), I’m afraid we don’t often think about it ending.  Time is limited, not just because our own lives have a limit, but because God plans to end time itself some day.  Yet, eternity will go right on without it.  As I mentioned last week, being eternal without reference to time is difficult for us to comprehend. 
How important it is that we should treat time as the rare treasure that it is.  We value diamonds and gold because of their amazing durability – their ability to withstand the wear and tear of time.  But, how often we forget that this most precious thing is running out.  As surely as the sun rises and sets upon another day, so time is going away.
Ephesians 5:15-17  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

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The second item from my mother is this poem which is hand written on a very yellowed sheet of paper.

The Day Before

Sometime some ordinary day will come,
A busy day, like this, filled to the brim
With ordinary tasks – perhaps so full
That we have little care or thought for Him.

And there will be no hint from silent skies,
No sign, no clash of cymbals, roll of drums…
And yet that ordinary day will be
The very day before our Lord returns!

The day before we lay our burdens down,
And learn instead the strange feel of a crown!
The day before all grieving will be past,
And all our tears be wiped away at last!

O child of God, awake, and work and pray!
That ordinary day might be – today!
Make ready all thine house – tomorrow’s sun
May dawn upon the Kingdom of God’s Son.

[Author unknown]

Matthew 24:42-46  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

My thought:  The hope of Jesus’ coming should be a blessing to us, but if we don’t live like we anticipate it, it is apt to be a fearful thing.  Let’s strive to live our daily lives so that we might look forward to the end of time with hope and joy.

1 John 3:2-3  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

This is one of my favorite hymns – “The Sands of Time Are Sinking”.