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Listen while you read: "Faith Of Our Fathers"1 (Lyrics) |
Ecclesiastes 3:1-6 – To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; … a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; … a time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away. (NKJV)
There is an appointed time for everything!
The word "time" appears 28 times in the book of Ecclesiastes and over 600 times in the Bible as a whole.
I have always been fascinated by all kinds of old manual pendulum wall clocks, which have been around since 1675. When I was younger, I enjoyed repairing and adjusting these clocks. Now, for me, even moving the bob up and down on the pendulum rod takes painful patience and dexterity to adjust the time to the exact second.
What makes a clock "tick" and "tock"? Most pendulum clocks have a time regulator that uses an escapement. The escapement makes the particular "tick-tock" noises, with the "tick" as the pendulum swings to one side, and then the "tock" as it releases on the other side of the swing. If one listens carefully, there is a definite difference in the sounds of the tick and the tock. The tick is sharp and quick, while the tock is dull and a little hesitant.
Why do I say all this? Because in reality the only time that we have to get ready for eternity is between the tick and the tock, which is one second.
2 Corinthians 6:2 – For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (NKJV)
The word "now" is used twice in this verse for a reason: the day of salvation should be now, today. It cannot be put off for tomorrow because tomorrow may be too late. The time to be saved is now.
You may be listening to your pendulum clock ticking away the seconds right now. It may be a reminder that the time has come to ask for forgiveness and accept the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart. May God bless you as you pray this prayer!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, for too long I've have wanted to be saved. I know that I am a sinner and I need You now more than ever. I hear my clock ticking away the seconds all too quickly. By faith, I am now ready to trust You as my Lord and Saviour, and I receive Your gift of salvation. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank You for forgiving me and for the gift of eternal life. Thank You for coming into my heart, Lord Jesus, as I trust You to be my Saviour. Amen.
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Thank you.
Beautiful prayer!
Thanks Stephen. Blessings.
Thanks for a very “timely” reminder.
Excellent word today, Stephen. Glory be to God. Keep writing.
Blessings.
Strong, bold, and challenging words for today. Thanks Stephen.
Blessings.
Thank you for sharing this devotional with us today and providing a prayer for those who are eager to know our wonderful Saviour! Jesus is my Lord and love of my life these days.
Good morning, Stephen!
Thank you for your message today. It was great – I really appreciated it.
Blessings!
Thanks for your devotional this morning Stephen. I enjoy those old clocks too and you did a good comparison of the ticks and tocks to our lives.
Blessings for writing.
Loved this devotional today. My husband fixes clocks and yesterday was at our local library to fix and advise those needing clock repair.
This was so timely, thank you.
Dear Stephen,
I was deeply touched by your devotion. Between the tick and tic you asked Jesus into your heart, I felt I was there as you made this decision to follow Jesus. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing. I was reminded of that little verse “the dash.”
Although it’s a damp day here, I’ll go for a walk and appreciate the beauty of creation. Don’t want to waste my second between tick and tock.
(Manitoba)
Good morning, Stephen,
Now, right now is the time. We never know when the tick becomes tock.
Very good words, thank you so much.
Blessings on your weekend.
Good morning,
Thank you for the info about the clocks, I did not know that.
You are so right about timing. I pray people realize time is running out and will ask Jesus into their hearts!!
God bless.
Steven, I recall hearing the constant tick-tocks of a Mantel clock and a tall “Grandmother Clock”. It was a reminder of the passing of time, and the falling sand in an hourglass was a visual reminder. Today we have silent digital clocks and time sneaks silently away in blinks of numbers.
I appreciate your words today to wake us up to the urgency to choose the “now” for believing in Christ as Savior and Lord.
Good Morning Stephen.
I am sitting in our kitchen area listening to two such clocks as you described. One clock runs slow, and one clock runs fast, and just a while ago I was thinking about a solution to that problem…and then I read your thoughtful message.
Thank you for writing.
(Texas)
Good morning, Stephen,
I always like this passage from Ecclesiastics and really enjoyed the information you provided about pendulum clocks. I am intrigued by the space between the tick and the tock and really know that we do not know when the time for Jesus to come again.
Your prayer is very important for all of us to pray. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and faith. Blessings.
Thank you for your devotional. It reminded me of a poem I learned almost 80 years ago. The Watchmaker’s Shop. I can still recite it because of its tic toc beat. Blessings.