Not a Matter of Time

We are creatures – and captives – of time. Despite being admonished to “live in the moment,” we have the irresistible habit of gazing back at the past or looking toward the future. We think of things we’ve done or that have happened in terms of “an hour ago,” “yesterday,” “last week,” or years, even centuries ago. Or we make plans for tomorrow, next week, next year, and so on.

“Tempus fugit,” the Latin tells us – time flies. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to live in the present, because “now” is so fleeting, so…momentary. Here and gone, in the blink of an eye. So it gets little respect.

So we nurture an irrepressible fascination with time. Some people, particularly “older generation” types, feel naked without watches fastened around their wrists. Younger people are more prone to use their smartphones as timepieces. After all, they’re more accurate, right? Either way, we’re stuck in time, governed by clocks and calendars. Whether it’s getting prepared for an upcoming meeting, anticipating what we’ll do Friday night to celebrate the end of another workweek, or planning how we’ll spend an upcoming vacation, time can be our friend – and sometimes our enemy.

So I found it interesting to see this time fixation manifested in a brief Facebook exchange. A friend posted a quote from the end of the last New Testament book, Revelation, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).

Reading this post, someone asked, “Define 'soon.' This was written umpteen thousand years ago!” Frankly, that’s a great question – exactly what did Jesus mean by “soon”? Several verses in Revelation quote Him saying, “I am coming soon” or “the time is near.” This was written nearly 2,000 years ago, so what’s the hold-up?

Numerous other passages make similar declarations. For instance, 1 Thessalonians 5:2 says, “…the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” And 2 Peter 3:10 concurs, declaring almost verbatim, “…the day of the Lord will come like a thief.” But here we are in 2014, many centuries later, so obviously these statements are baloney, right? Slow-moving “thief” maybe?

Years ago a friend advised me the best method for interpreting the Scriptures is by using other Scriptures. I’ve found this excellent counsel. So what does the Bible say about God’s time orientation?

One critical verse is 2 Peter 3:8 which declares, “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” The next verse adds, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

To me this states us that, unlike us, God doesn't operate according to timepieces or 12-month calendars. At the same time (no pun intended), this doesn’t mean one 24-hour day to Him is exactly 1,000 years. It’s a metaphorical statement, declaring God operates outside of time and can take as much “time” as desired to accomplish His purposes.

This understanding could apply to the six days of creation – a half-dozen literal, 24-hour days? – as well as Jesus’ imminent return. Not being required to punch a time clock or meet someone else’s deadline, God has the prerogative to take as long as He chooses to get any job done. In the 1980s, the Ford Motor Company operated by the slogan, “Quality is Job 1.” With God, through time and eternity, that has always been His motto. In other words, He simply takes as long as it takes to do it right.

God alone truly has all the time in the world. In fact, He has all the time in the universe! And more than that. Much more.

The Time of Your Life

We sometimes hear people exclaim, “I’m having the time of my life!” I’ve probably said that myself a time or two, but what does it really mean?

Figuratively it refers to having much enjoyment, maybe more than we can ever remember. But when have you heard someone say, “I’m not having the time of my life”? In reality, like it or not, “the time of our life” is now, this very moment. What happened even one second ago is already locked into the past, and we can’t live in the future – until it arrives in the present, at which time it ceases to be the future, strangely enough.

Not to get too philosophical, but time is important to all of us. And as we get older, we learn to value time even more since there’s more of it behind us and less of it ahead of us in this life. When we were children, time seemed to move at a snail’s pace, especially when awaiting a special event, like summer vacation or Christmas. Now it seems to pass at racetrack speed.

In the newspaper business, I found time often defined by deadlines: getting articles written, photos taken and pages designed on time for going to press. Time literally was money, with presses idling and well-paid pressmen poised to print the publication. So we all felt the pressure of time.

When I moved into the business world I was introduced to “time management,” which is a misnomer. We can’t manage time any more than we can manage the wind. Unlike saving money or storing food for a future emergency, time can’t be set aside for later consumption. Time comes and goes with relentless precision, one second, one minute, one hour at a time.

The Bible says there is a time for
everything.  Our challenge is to know
which time is right.

Although we can’t control or slow time’s passage, we can determine how our time is utilized. We can set priorities, determining which things must be done and distinguishing those from other things that might be nice to do, but aren’t essential. As Oswald Chambers would say, conceding “good is the enemy of the best.” Or distinguishing the important from the tyrannical urgent.

In our leisure hours we can read thought-provoking books, play challenging games, and engage in stimulating conversations. Or we can fritter away minutes and hours watching meaningless TV programming or listen to continual radio talk show chatter, our minds becoming sponges for media clutter. We can pursue a productive hobby, participate in regular exercise, and nurture our spiritual life. Or we can squander time by eating and drinking more than we need, sleeping more than we should, spending more than we ought, and procrastinating like champions.

We also can “manage time” by cherishing opportunities we have with loved ones, recognizing those can’t be reclaimed at some later date. I suspect when beloved friends and family members pass away, a part of our grieving is regret over “wouldas, shouldas and couldas” forever lost.

God, who created time, speaks of it a lot in the Scriptures. Psalm 90:12, for example, suggests we ask God to “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” If you knew today – or this week – were your last, would you continue with your plans for this day?

Ecclesiastes 3:1 declares, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” Many of the things we purpose to do, those activities we spend much time planning, are good. But when’s the best time for pursuing them? And when should we stop doing some of the things that have been taking up too much of our time?

And Ephesians 5:16 speaks of “making the most of your time (redeeming it), because the days are evil.” Time, as they say, has a stealthy habit of slipping away when we’re not paying attention. Then we wish wistfully, “If only I had more time.”

Even in a clock, watch or calendar shop, we can’t purchase or acquire more time. But we can “manage” it by appreciating the time we have and utilizing it, better yet – investing it – in ways that will pay dividends both immediate and long-term.

We’re still early in the new year. It would be great if instead of bemoaning at year end, “Where has the time gone?” we could smile and think, “I know exactly where the time has gone. And I believe it’s been well-spent.” It’s good to stop and smell the roses, as long as we don’t become consumed by the weeds.

That Wonderful Time of the Year

For those of us that sometimes feel pangs of guilt for watching a bit too much TV, this is the most wonderful time of the year. Finales of our favorite shows have been broadcast (leaving most of the central characters hanging – in some cases, literally) and we no longer feel obligated to report to the couch to watch the latest episodes, either live or via DVR.

Certainly the networks have conjured up programming to fill the void, but this year I’ve determined not to get caught up in the summer replacements. Instead I resolve to return to a former favorite pastime – reading books.

This artwork by Salvador Dali presents
an imaginative look at the passage of time.

These days, between TV, e-mail and the Internet, my book-reading time has been reduced to a fraction, much to my regret. Instead of the passive activity of staring at a TV monitor and having the writers and directors dictate what I should think, reading a book requires my conscious, intentional effort. It truly is interactive, and I’m eager to begin exploring what lies in the pages of the many worthy candidates that have been collecting on my bookshelves since last year.

I’m not one of those that believe TV is inherently evil – although an increasing number of shows would qualify for that description. But it does have a tendency to monopolize time that could be invested in better ways. My good friend Oswald Chambers (he died in 1917, but his classic devotional book, My Utmost For His Highest, still speaks to me every day) often says, “Good is the enemy of the best.”

So instead of whiling away hours this summer watching entertaining but pointless dramas, I plan to spend more time taking walks with my wife, horsing around with the grandkids, and gleaning from the insights of established, trusted writers who help me to distinguish the truly important from the merely urgent.

Ephesians 5:16 speaks of “redeeming (or making the best use) of the time, because the days are evil.” Time passes so quickly – you realize that more and more as you get older – and with it being in short supply, time is nothing to squander.

So I’m hoping to actively engage this summer in some real time redemption!