Time: ” A person’s experience during a specified period or on a particular occasion” (Merriam-Webster)
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 (KJV)
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
Today I was reminded again of the precious gift of time. Each of us is given the same twenty-four hours in any given day; what we do with it is largely determined by our choices. Time away from all the noise and the distractions of life can often allow us time to meditate and hear the still small voice of God. Elijah hid himself in a cave because he felt life was more than he could handle. While he hid, strong winds blew, but God was not in them. Along came an earthquake, but God was not in it. Finally a fire came, but God was not in the fire. It was when all the activity ceased and Elijah was still that he was able to hear the voice of God speak to him.
So often we fill our time with things, projects, and activities. None of these things are bad in and of itself, but a steady diet of activity can cause burn out. We were created to have communion with God and with one another. We all need times of refreshing and stillness. It is a good thing to have wholesome discussions with God and allow Him to speak words of refreshing and truth into our souls. We need to have wholesome discussions with our family and friends, both old and new, to recharge our “burned out” battery.
In every day there is a time for everything and we are to do everything “as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:23).
When I clean my house, spend time with family or friends, on my job, at the supermarket, and even in my free time of entertainment, hobbies and maybe just doing nothing, it is to be done as unto the Lord. Maybe there is a phone call waiting to be made, a letter to be written , a card to be mailed or a long overdue cup of coffee or tea to be shared. Just don’t wait too long because before you know it, the day will be spent and on into another twenty-four hours we go.
Time is a gift we receive from God and we give to God, others and ourselves.
Sometimes we just have to make time or better said by Webster, we just have to make “A person’s experience during a specified period or on a particular occasion” a good one, a moment of edification and make the connection.
Thought for today:
Take time to have mutual conversation with someone
Initiate an opportunity to meet someone new
Make yourself stop and take a few moments to savor the experience
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
Adapted from the writing of Linda Brown originally published at Healing Words 247
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