Finding The Time

Isaiah 55:6-9 – Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (ESV)

Sometimes it is difficult to make the time. Sometimes I cannot be bothered to make the time. Sometimes I cannot face making the time. So I will do anything to allow time to consume me — in doing anything other than making the time for the task I know I should be doing. I call it displacement theory: I displace the essential task with the secondary or ordinary.

Until this past October, I was able to attend our mid-week communion service that is presently held here on the university campus where I work. However, with the latest tabled changes in personnel, I am not available to attend. Instead, I have to endure the imposition of being placed on an enquiry desk until past the communion finish time.

Today, because of temporary staffing arrangements, I have managed, for once, to get my lunch earlier, in time for the communion service. It was great to be able to attend and to enjoy being in the presence of God and those few from among my fellow believers who have made the effort and who are based here.

It made me rather rueful for the times in the past when I occasionally did not go because something had come up and I had not made the time to attend. It has made me more appreciative of the opportunity I have had today to attend a service that previously I have taken for granted.

As we sit down today in safety, read our Bibles, and take the time to pray, we ask the question: What — such as our health, breath, faith, and sanity — have we taken for granted today, that may not be so obvious a given tomorrow?

Prayer: Lord, we thank You that You came into the world to spend time with us, to set us free from sin and from dissipation into the world. We rejoice that no matter what our circumstances are, You are always with us, and that even when we apparently cannot find the time, You do. Thanks, Lord. Amen.

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