Saturday, 19 January 2008

• 01.18.08

  tick…tock…tick…tock…

  Posted at 6:00 pm by smhgrace

  I wanted a clock for the wall. I have a brand new office in a new building for the newly created position I am blessed to fill for my second part-time job. The Student Pastor was making a Wal-Mart run and asked if I needed anything. I said a clock. Just a cheap one that I can hang on the wall and glance at during the day. I was remembering the cheap one I bought a couple of years ago for our homeschool room, and how pleased I have been with that $4 investment.

  Turns out, cheap clocks at Wal-Mart have undergone some change. Still around $4, it keeps great time with one little battery. It also lets you know it is keeping time. Each second is audibly marked. Most of the time, I don’t even hear it…I’m working on something and my mind is occupied. Sometimes it is the elephant in the room…stomping it’s heavy foot in a one second cadence. all. day. long.

  So, sometimes I think about time. I usually don’t consider time my enemy. That comment is often in reference to wrinkles and gray hair, both of which I am accumulating with some vigor. These don’t bother me much. It is an inevitable happening, a sign to the world I have made it this far. However, in some ways time has been my enemy. My baby boys are becoming men. The number that is my age surprises me, especially since it is likely I now have more behind me than in front of me.

  Which brings me to the heart of this post. Behind me is a lot of wasted time. Half of it, I didn’t have a relationship with Jesus, The Savior who died for me and was waiting for me to come to Him. Half of the remainder, I was a spiritual babe, un-discipled and unaware of my need to be. Half of that has been some of the most exciting times of growth in my spiritual life as I have learned more, experienced more, understood more and become passionate about so much more of God. In many ways, I don’t have a lot to bring to the Kingdom as a result of my life so far. Roughly 3/4 has been unfruitful. I aim to change that in the time I have left on this planet. (2008: Living a Life of Worship .) It reminds me of what Paul says in the oft-referenced verses 13b-14 in this passage, Philippians 3:12-16:

  12. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
  13. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
  14. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 
  15. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
  16. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

  Much of the time, we only hear verse 13b-14. But as you can see, that is only a part of a bigger picture of what Paul wanted to get across. There is so much here to apply!!
  –We’re not perfect…yet.
  –Our reason for keeping on keeping on is to get in line with what Jesus had in mind for each of us when He captured our hearts; His purpose for us.
  –We’re not there…yet.
  –The least we can do is forget what is behind (and likely holding us in bondage), and keep working toward the future–our future in Christ and His plans for us.
  –Heaven is our destination–He’s called us to join Him there and He’s anxiously awaiting our arrival!
  –We should strive toward maturity in our faith and remember these things.
  –God will adjust our thinking when we need it.
  –We need to live up to where we are on our spiritual walk.

  Time is important. Present time and future time. We have a purpose. We know the things (and/or can find out more by studying the Word that reveals it) we should be doing with our time, which is short.

  Rejoining the working world after more than 13 years has reiterated to me an important truth–Time is precious. Every moment is a gift. It is our calling and responsibility to use each moment as an opportunity to worship the One and Only God, in whatever way the moment affords–song, prayer, praise, service, study, work, eating, drinking, driving–living.

  And another thing–Time is short. NOW is the time to offer that act of worship. We don’t know if we get the next moment for a do-over or not.

  \o/

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