Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking…
August 4, 2009and the noise of it distracts me!
This morning while I was listening to our morning Bible teaching, the pastor, almost off the cuff, made some mention of our being eternal.
You know what? I know that. I know I – and all those around me – are eternal. I have no doubt that we have life eternal waiting for us. But, you know what? I forget it and the implications it holds for my life.
Time vs Eternity is quite a battle in my daily living. When I do not have it in its proper place, I am jazzed about many things that are of no eternal import, but in this moment in time, it seems very important.
I have been dishonoring in my speech to my family, because of time. *Tick* “I’m STILL angry about that.” *Tick* “Why are we still working on this? Why haven’t you gained victory over this?” *Tick* “Aren’t you finished with that school work, yet?” *Tick*
I have been disobedient to Father because of time. *Tick* “This is due today, I don’t have time to do that right now.” *Tick* “Lord, we needed that TODAY! Where are YOU?” *Tick*
I have been careless of other people because of time. *Tick* “They are such a dork! Why would I waste my time on that?” *Tick*
I realized this morning that I need a fresh dose of eternity in my thinking… and its value and its import and its grace and its patience and its kindness. I need to stop time from distracting me and keep my ears and eyes and MOUTH!!!! on eternity, rather than time.
Eternity woos me to be disciplined enough daily that I have time for the important issues of eternity.
Eternity requires me to have the grace to allow others to have time for the things that are eternal.
Eternity commands me to walk in the wisdom required to know the difference.
Eternity cups my face in its hands and turns my head (and heart) toward Father, the Eternal God, the Alpha and Omega, and says, “Go, be with Him today. Do not wait for eternity to delight and enjoy Him fully. Live in light of His goodness and His mercy today. Draw near to Him, for His glory will endure for….eternity.”
You know, this is one of those things that I KNOW. When I sit and think about it, I KNOW it. It’s right here in my head. However, I have such trouble LIVING it. I know that when one of my children comes into the kitchen to talk to me, it is of more eternal value to stop and give him eye contact and really listen for a couple minutes than it is to keep chopping or stirring or pouring or whatever. I know that it is of more eternal value to fold laundry with my 3 year old and laugh and talk and take twice as long than it is to do it on my own. I KNOW these things. And yet . . .
YES! And yet…that stinking and yet gets me too!
BUT, by His grace, we’ll get it figured out.
Jen, the Holy Spirit has been ministering something to me – Proverbs 4:18 – “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.”
IT’S A PROCESS!!! Isn’t that good news? Every day that we submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit for holy use of the Lord (Romans 9:21) – EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE DAYS, WE ARE GETTING BETTER!!! It’s nothing of our own making, but the Word of God – that Word that does not change – says that WE – those made righteous by the Blood of the Lamb – our path just gets better day by day by day by day by day by day by day….
We impatient humans forget that this isn’t something that’s a done deal *snap* NOW! 
So, we wake up in the morning and say, “This is the day that You have made Father, I will choose to rejoice and be glad in it. Receive me, Oh Lord, as a living sacrifice, as I give myself to You again today – to teach me, to use me, to bring Your Kingdom to earth in my little “garden” Guide my feet, that today, I might be brighter than yesterday, reflecting YOU, my Lord in every one of my interactions.” Then, you get up and start being brighter.
You’re getting the job done, Jen, I know you are!!