Time

I admit that every New Year's Eve feels like a deadline to me. It is true that I reminisce on the past year, taking in the good, bad, and ugly. But the ushering in of a New Year leaves me feeling like there are so many more things I could have done- and makes me reflect on how quickly time passes in our lives. It reminds me of a verse, James 4:14. I like the way The Message translation puts it:

"You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing."

In other words, according to the New Living Translation:

"Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone."

No matter how I feel about New Year's, time passes so quickly. It is difficult for me to fathom an eternal God- One who does not live in the constructs of a world governed by the man-made measures of a second, minute, hour, day. He is timeless, and lives within eternity. Time is nothing to Him, and this is such a contrast when I reflect on how much I live my life according to times and dates, schedules, and the next thing... and the next thing... and the next thing...

I want Him to redeem my time. To set me free from the way I live tuned into a clock and not tuned into Him. I want Him to help me set my mind on things above. On the urgency of eternity--and how that should shade my life and the lives of those around me. I wish I wasn't so careless with precious time. How often I keep it for myself or spend it selfishly, when it is truly a gift given to me by the mercies of the hand of the LORD Himself. Not everyone has the freedom to choose the way they spend their time, and not everyone has time left to spend. He is above and beyond time, and yet it amazes me that He still chose to enter into our timely world as a babe, and that He rose to defeat our sin.

Friends, what will WE, what will I do with my time in 2012, whether that be 365 days or 1, according to the sovereignty of God? I challenge myself and you as well to live intentionally and with purpose in 2012, to the glory of our heavenly Father.