Something about Time
I recently had the joy of attending a couple different family graduations, one for a nephew and another for a child. I always enjoy these celebrations of accomplishments, and I find them frequently reminding me that time well spent is truly a gift.
It's a funny thing, time, in that once it's gone there is no getting it back. Time is like a word in that regard. Once a word has been spoken, you can't take it back. Once that second, or minute, or day has passed, try as we might, we cannot turn back time.
The Bible reminds us that God is in charge of our days.
"The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass." (Job 14:5, NKJV)
"Show me, Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure." (Psalm 39:4-5, NIV)
Unlike other gifts, we cannot buy, earn, or bargain for more time. If we use all of our food or the minutes on our phone plan, we can always buy more. If we spend all of our cash, we can always earn more. We can even bargain for things we cannot afford, borrowing against that precious commodity of time. But we cannot gain more time.
That is why time is such a precious gift. God knows how precious time is to us. We see its effects in the mirror each day and in the faces and lives of our children and grandchildren. How often have we heard or even said in relation to an unfortunate wait at the DMV or a movie that disappoints, "That's an hour of my life I'll never get back." Ask any grandparent what they want most from their grandchildren and the most common answer will be, "More time." Ask any mother of a recent graduate and you'll get the same answer.
God is keenly aware of how precious we account time. We plan it. We schedule it. We hoard it for ourselves and seek little snippets of it to retain our sanity. We find ways to make the most of it, at work, with family, on vacation.
That's why the time we spend with God is so precious. He knows it's time we'll never get back, at least not in this life. He knows that every second we spend reading His word, praying to Him, and doing His work on this Earth is time we could spend enriching or enjoying ourselves. Yet, we choose to spend it in His presence, with our Creator. Like that mother of a recent graduate, our Father knows how important our time is and loves that we choose to spend it with Him.
So join me, reader, in taking some time today to just be with Him. Trust me when I say, He knows how precious your time is!
– Mark Klages is an influential contributor, a former US Marine and a lifelong teacher who focuses on applying a Christian worldview to everyday events. Mark blogs at https://maklagesl3.wixsite.com/website under the title "God Provides where Hate Divides," with a heart to heal social, political, relational, and intellectual wounds through God's divine love and grace. Mark can also be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-klages-04b42511/.