The trouble with time
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Is this really the end of August? It doesn’t seem possible. Labor Day weekend is upon us, which is when most pools close for the year. It’s often considered the last weekend of summer, unless you live in Texas like I do. Our weather and landscape won’t get the “fall” message until sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving.
But, the fall season is here. Our politics are heating up with every interview and commercial. The school zones are blinking a warning to slow down and drive carefully. Hobby Lobby is running low on Fall décor and filling its shelves with Christmas items! All the coffee places and bakeries are offering things with pumpkin spice. It’s time to stash the summer colors and dig out the Fall wardrobe, even though it’s still too hot for those of us in the South to wear those clothes.
The summer is ending and the trouble with that fact is how fast the summer months flew by! Time truly is fleeting, and the older I get, the faster time flies. So, I’ve decided to write a blog post about making the most of time. Instead of being alarmed by the swift passage of time, why don’t we simply choose today to be happy about that?
The trouble with time is that we have zero ability to change it. The joy of these passing months is that we know what lies at the end of time.
The truth about time is not always taught in the world but is seen in God’s word.
People are becoming genuinely anxious about the future. They are thinking:
- What if my candidate loses this election?
- What if my next doctor’s visit is bad news?
- What is my child or grandchild learning at school?
- What if prices remain high or go higher?
- What if the terrorists in the world continue to threaten?
- What if our wrinkles increase and our strength declines?
- What if our culture doesn’t return to the way things used to be?
A biblical perspective for the troubles in time.
According to the Bible, time will continue to move forward until Jesus steps back into this world for the final time. Until that day, everyone will head toward an eternity with God in heaven—or, for others, an eternity apart from God in hell. As disciples of the gospel message of Christ, there is a lot we can do with the time we have.
Jesus was in his last week of life. He wanted his disciples to be prepared for the days ahead. He didn’t paint a beautiful picture of “feel good” thoughts. He gave his disciples the truth they needed, and it is still the truth his disciples need today. Jesus said, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:6–14).
So, Jesus would tell us:
- Of course, your candidates will lose sometimes.
- Of course, you will get bad news from a doctor someday.
- Of course, your kids and grandkids will learn some things you like and other things you don’t.
- Of course, prices will get higher on most things, but lower on some.
- Of course, terrorists will continue to terrorize. They always have.
- Of course, you will get wrinkles as you age, and you will grow weaker as the years progress.
- And of course, the world’s cultures will continue to change and evolve.
Jesus would remind each of us that he made sure we should expect that of time. Times are changing, but our expectations of time might need to as well. Jesus promised that changes would continue throughout the history of this world.
How can we choose to be happy?
- You may not like the candidates who win, but hopefully, that will lead us to want better down the road.
- Your doctor might give you bad news and refer you to a specialist who can offer help and hope.
- Your kids and grandkids will learn a lot in their lifetimes. Hopefully, they will learn some great things from you!
- Prices will increase on things we need, but having less money makes us more grateful for all we have.
- The terrorists will be around, but there is a lot of new technology that is helping us catch them before they can do harm.
- These days, there is a lot we can do about wrinkles if we want to, and we are living longer, stronger lives than our parents did.
- And there is something we all need to remember: We really don’t want things to go back to the way they used to be.
I’m glad our world has made progress on racism, poverty, medical cures, and other advances in technology. Every time I use my microwave, my computer, my washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, vacuum, oven, or get in my car to drive somewhere . . . I should be thrilled that “things” aren’t like they used to be.
Jesus promised that lawlessness would increase, weather disasters and wars would continue, and his disciples would be caught in the middle of all those things. Then Jesus said that the “gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
The passage of time and technological advances have made his words possible, even likely, for our generation. Anyone who owns a smartphone or computer can receive the gospel message. That’s why all of us who work for the Denison Ministries work hard at our jobs. It’s possible that we will see Jesus come again before another Labor Day weekend arrives.
Maybe the trouble with time is that it isn’t passing fast enough!
Have a great week, and find happiness in the fact that fall is just around the corner. For Christians, every passing season brings us closer to our eternal life of unchanging joy.
