Happy New Year!
Ready or not, 2006 came and went, and 2007 is here!
There are seasons where the passing of time creeps
and crawls along at a seemingly maddeningly slow pace.
Hmmm…. if I remember right, most of those times
seemed to be when I was lots younger than I am now!
Remember the eternity before the bell would ring to signify
that school was done for the day and real life could finally begin?
Or when it seemed that your [fill in the blank] birthday
would never get here so that you could finally be considered older
and "cool" and maybe be allowed to drive a car!
It seems as though something strongly anticipated can
"slow time down" to a crawl. And there are seasons where
the passing of time seems to move at warp speed,
alternately whizzing by like some sci-fi starship
or otherwise bearing down on you like a freight train
with it’s horn at a full throated roar. Hmmm… again,
if I remember right, most of those times seem to be lately.
Although I can remember how quickly recess seemed
to whiz by and how summer seemed to be just
a blip between school years. And of course,
the older you get the birthdays seem to come quicker
and with less anticipation that they did before.
It also seems that things strongly enjoyed
seem to "speed time up" and pass by all too quickly.
Yet the reality is that time is a plodder.
It simply ticks, measuring the passing minutes,
hours, days, and years at a steady pace.
We are the transients, changing pilgrims.
It is our perspective on the passing of time
that changes not time. It is said that "time
and tide wait for no one". This is true.
So we read the prayer of Moses recorded in Psalm 90,
the heart cry of every sojourner in time,
"So teach us to number our days
that we may gain a heart of wisdom". (Psalm 90:12)
Time can be a ruthless taskmaster.
Yet time is not our master.
Jesus is our Master. And He is Lord of time.
He is the Creator of time.
In Isaiah 57:15 God is said to be
"the High and Lofty one who inhabits eternity,
whose name is Holy". [If you want some brain stretching
and Spirit feeding try spending some time meditating on that one!]
He is outside time and space, yet He loved us so much
that He entered time and space. The Timeless One entered time
to redeem those bound by sin and hopeless without Him.
Praise His Wonderful Name!
In Joel 2:25 we read an amazing promise.
"I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten".
As I read and think on that promise I am humbled and amazed.
Only He can restore years. Who else could do so?
Who else would even dare to promise such a thing?
Only the one who could make the sun & moon stand still.
(Joshua 10:12)
Only the Creator of time and the Redeemer of us
who are in time could give such a promise.
I have many words and deeds that I would like to have back.
I can think of much time wasted and years not wisely numbered.
I cannot change the past. But in holy fear I can walk carefully
in the time that I have been given. In humble love I can come
to the One who loved me first and is a RE-deemer,
a RE-storer, a RE-newer. All of those "RE-words"
have something to do with time
and Jesus is Lord of all, including time.
On this day that we mark the passage of time,
May you have renewed hope as you see freshly His kindness,
His grace, and His stunning Majesty.
May you discover new strength as you wait on Him,
running the race with patience, redeeming the time.
And may you be found faithful as you live
in time until the Lord of time returns.
Until He Comes, Happy New Year! Pastor Tom
"But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD;
I say, ‘You are my God.’ ‘My times are in Your hand?"
-Psalm 31:14,15a
Happy New Year!
A Holy New Year!
A Fruitful New Year be to you!
May you experience His sweet,
healing, transforming Presence...
May you meet Him at the deepest places of your soul...
May your strength be renewed
to run with focus and patience as you wait on Him...
With great affection,
Pastor Tom & Cindy Nicodemus
Pastors Tom & Cindy
