Time!

On this first day of a brand new week and the first Lord’s Day Sunday in a new month, we are extremely mindful of who has brought us to this point and who has been keeping and guiding us. We are forever exclaiming and hearing others doing the same, about how time is fleeting. Many years ago and I mean some four decades or so ago, I heard the music teacher of the school at which I taught, teaching this song about time, to the students. Perhaps you know it and perhaps you don’t. Nevertheless, here are a few lines which I recall, from the song.  

Time waits for no one,

It goes on endlessly,

Just like a river,

Flowing out to the sea.

The truth is, as we all know and have proven in our long or short living, time is no respecter of persons and we have to bow to time. On this day, we are very mindful of time as we begin, not just a new day, but the beginning of a week which leads us into the final days of our Lord and Saviour on earth in flesh and bones, before ascending into heaven.

Indeed, the forty days of convincing proofs, and teaching thoughtfully, powerfully and astutely about the Kingdom of God, are almost at an end. I don’t know whether or not this time has been precious and invaluable to you, but I know that for many, like myself, I have been consciously, anxiously and excitedly looking forward on each day, for our Risen and Present Lord Jesus to show me Himself in some convincing way and to lead me into more and more truth about the Kingdom of God. Thus far, He has not failed me. What about you? Have you been looking forward to His appearing and haven’t you proven Him in some unexpected and unusual forms?  

Time may be galloping by, but be it known that Jesus is not intimidated by time. He does everything in perfectly, right and precise time. Jesus never misses time, nor loses time.  Time never ever runs out on Him, for time is in His Hands. Today, in this time, called today, we are called to the awareness that unless we follow and obey the ways of our Lord, we will forfeit the times He has given to us and will find ourselves living lives of rush and haste. We will be dashing here, there and everywhere in mind and thought even, yet getting nowhere and still going nowhere. Believe you me, this is the perfect recipe for stressed and frustrated living.

Whether we have seen this previously or not, when we look at the time Jesus allotted to spend with His disciples before ascension, what do we see? Jesus was focused about what He was doing and used every bit of available time to appear to His disciples. He was cool and calm in His manner, never rushing them, for He used His time wisely and astutely. Time did not use Jesus, He used time and did so most effectively. He made time work for Him as He was able to get all His disciples, doubters even, to come to one mind and understanding with Him.   

Today, Jesus is the same for us and to us, and we give praise and thanks for this week, as His Holy Spirit leads us on to Ascension.