Our calendars are already reflecting the beginning of a new year. As we leave the end-of-year holidays behind, our new diaries are gradually filling up with this year’s priorities. Soon our clocks will ‘spring forward’ to recognise longer and warmer days. On we go with the expectancy of a new year! Back we go to work, with our personal priorities before us.
So before we gather momentum to attend once again to our individual responsibilities, becoming fully engrossed in 2018, let us ensure we are not being driven: that we go forward in the peace of God in this world – a world that seems to be ever accelerating.
Driven by Time?
Time is a strange concept to understand. There can be no doubt that it is part of God’s created order, and we must all live within its framework. It is a measure of change and a marker of events, but was it always the master that it seems to be today?
When God created the universe, he set the sun, moon and stars in place to measure days, times and seasons. But it is mankind that has further subdivided our days with the invention of ever more accurate clocks and watches, with their ability to drive us to obey them in ordering our days. This is the world in which we live, but do we sometimes allow ourselves to be driven too hard by the artificial nano-seconds of time, rather than pace ourselves more as God ordained by his creation of time?
It is only since the Industrial Revolution that the automation of machines has made them gradually more our masters than our servants. The further we look back into history, the more we discover a better way of managing time in line with days and seasons.
Timeless Activities
But even in this clock-driven world, there are some activities in which, touching the reality of Heaven, time is put in its proper perspective. Sometimes it is said that God is outside of time. That, to me, is true - but not the whole truth, because we still walk with Him in this world, though He is in His domain. He is not inconsiderate of our lives in this changing world whilst remaining in His heavenly dwelling place that is, in some sense, an eternal present.
Yet, there are activities that cause us to put our own existence in perspective of that eternal present. Among these can be sharing a meal together in a traditional way, when our clocks are not the main point of reference, and other such times of rest and recreation. Another place where time is not the priority, but in heavenly balance, is the place of prayer and study, a place of deep communion with God.
Perhaps in this new year we might resolve to use our time better on such occasions, when relationship-building is more important than, say, an appointment with the next TV programme or our next text message to someone not in the same room.
The Place of Peace
The test of whether we are in balance with time and eternity is how well we are living at peace – the peace of God - in all things. If we have true peace, then we are not being driven artificially by the time-driven agendas of modern life. With some modifications to our present lifestyle, we can still perform our duties on this earth while retaining the peace of God.
May this be our personal objective as our new calendars herald a new season: to remain in closer contact with the eternal place of God.
May the peace of God be with us all.
Author: Clifford Denton
