Against the Clock

Upon examination of the video, one of the American runners had been bumped by a member of an opposing team resulting in the worst possible result. They were out of the final. Upon appeal, they were given a chance to literally run against the clock. They had a to beat China’s time to qualify, So here they were, running alone around the track against the only competitor that never tires or loses breath.

Time is our great nemesis as humans. We challenge it with diet, exercise and makeup. We curse it when we wake up late for work and try to slow it down when we are on vacation. There is no villain in any movie, novel or roots play that has it out for us more than time. We all look forward to the day when time no longer is the taskmaster of our days and eternity is an unmarked glorious continuum. Until then, here we are running our lives against the clock, spending the only currency we cannot save. How do YOU spend yours though? Does God get more than tiny slivers of our spare moments of our days? Are are we racing against the clock during our devotional time as we squeeze off a few moments before running through the door. Quick hug goodbye as we totally avoid eye contact, then shout from the car, “See you later Jesus!” All too often, those who mean the most to us, we take our time with them for granted. Maybe that’s why funerals are such slow, time absorbing events. Could it be that mentally we are trying to make up for all the time we never spent with that person? Hmmmn, maybe.

Our Saviour deserves more, don’t you think? Devotional time, though special, is more than a one moment event. We make the same mistake with weddings. What a wedding does for a marriage is more than that one moment. It is a continuous joining that extends beyond a day (to wed means to join by the way). Devotional time is a continuous bonding that goes beyond a few moments in the morning. It is a never ending experience of connecting and abiding. Not a race against the clock. Quiet, alone time, most definitely has it’s place and should not be rushed but our on-going connecting with God is a slow easy burn as the divine and human wills are blended into one. Will you make the time for that?

— YorkAli Walters