From Mom’s Collection – Thoughts On Time

This selection from my Mom's Collection was first published here in 2015. It seems appropriate as an end of year post and is Worth Repeating.

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Psalms 31:15  My times are in thy hand...

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. And, while we are looking for His return to gather us unto Himself (when His kingdom will technically begin for us), 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”.

Are There No Years In Heaven?

 

Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 

Revelation 10:5-6 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: 

Are There No Years In Heaven?

Are there no years in Heaven?

No change of day and night?

No rolling seasons’ varied hues

To mark time’s onward flight?

No: Time itself must fade,

And New Years’ Days shall cease,

When all God’s children meet on high,

To hail the Prince of Peace.

His realm is endless rest,

And perfect holiness!

No cares shall cloud, no sorrow dim

That home of loveliness.

In His great name we raise

Our New Year’s song to Heaven;

To praise our Father’s boundless love,

And ask to be forgiven.

Savior, be Thou our trust,

Our daily, hourly friend;

Unite our hearts in love to Thee—

The love which knows no end.

So may our lives on earth

Made happy by Thy grace,

Be foretastes of a fairer home—

A heavenly dwelling place.

- By Philip Phillips, 1868

Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge,

and underneath are the everlasting arms...

Short Thought - How Are Others Using Your Time?

 

"A man who has nothing to do with his own time has

no conscience in his intrusion on that of others."

Jane Austen

Colossians 4:5-6 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. 

Sometimes when we really need to get things done we may need to avoid people who have no respect for other people's time. Of course, this is not speaking of your children or those for whom you are directly responsible, but those whom you may actually avoid. It can come at us in a lot of ways - text messages that distract us, phone calls, chats online or in the store, family members that interrupt and expect our undivided attention (while not helping with the tasks at hand), etc.

This may sound harsh is some ways, but Jesus did not always allow the multitudes to consume His time. Sometimes He avoided them. We need to be attentive to His leading as to whom we are really meant to communicate with and spend time on, and whom we should avoid in specific circumstances. Sometimes it will even be necessary to excuse yourself so that you can get on with the things that need to be accomplished. Some people find this hard to do and then are stressed because they didn't get something done when it should have been done. Learn to politely, but firmly, disengage when it is necessary. 

I remember my parents struggling with people interruptions sometimes when my dad was a pastor. There were times when it was difficult to know who was really needing help and who was just looking for attention or an ear to monopolize. There were a couple times when my dad had some man coming to him over and over for "help" or to talk out his struggles, but the man never actually did anything my dad told him he should do to resolve things or live more biblically. Eventually I think my dad told both those men that if they weren't going to do the (biblical) things he suggested, then he didn't have time to talk to them.

In John 4 Jesus Christ went out of His way to meet the woman at the well, and yet in Mark 3:31-35 when His own mother and brethren stood outside the group and sent someone in to call Him away, He refused to go - without apology. Mark 3:31-35 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

Sometimes family will be the hardest to walk away from, but if they are interrupting things that you know are the Lord's will, you have to do it. It won't be easy, and it may not feel good at the moment, but it's about doing God's will and honoring Him with our time and energy.  

By the way, shoving everyone out of your life so you can do your own thing isn't the answer to interruptions. If you are the one who lacks skills in stepping back graciously at appropriate times, you need to work on that, not just push everyone away. We are called to serve and minister. But, there has to be a balance that is in accordance with God's will. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom if this is something that is a struggle for you.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.