About a week ago, Tim, the kids and I were discussing economics (true story). We've been reading Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? by Richard J. Maybury (highly recommended) and learning about inflation, recession, and depression. Somehow the discussion about economics led to one about time. It was a remarkable conversation that became a Holy Ghost moment, one of those inspired and inspiring times that can't be planned, scheduled, or forced. They just happen and I'm grateful they do.
We were talking about resources - money, jobs, education, food, shelter...y'know, stuff. And Tim and I were explaining that, while all those things are useful, even necessary, they are all replaceable. One can always make more money, get a new job, receive additional education, forage for another meal. You can replace a house or a car or even a spouse or a child (scary but true).
But then we started talking about time, the one commodity that God sets limits on. He metes out an allotment to each of us that He alone determines. We cannot buy it, sell it, trade it, share it, borrow it, or lend it. We cannot stretch it or shrink it, reduce, reuse, or recycle it. Each one of us is given a specially selected supply of our own time, and the opportunity to do with it as we wish. We can spend it wisely or we can squander it. But once it's gone, it's gone, baby, gone.
I have begun to think more about this, as my time goes by. I'm in my 50s now, and while I'd love to live to a triple digit age (with caveats, of course. And chocolate. LOTS of chocolate...), the odds aren't really in my favor. Which means that my time is more than half used up (ye gods!). But that's not the part of the conversation that blew my mind.
The thing that filled me with awe and wonder is that in heaven, there is no time. The one thing He limits on earth, the thing that gets us all itchy-twitchy down here doesn't even appear as a blip on the heavenly radar screen!
We spend a good portion of our time getting all bent out of shape over it. How many times a day do you check your watch, trying to play your own personal version of "Beat the Clock"? And if you don't think you have an issue with time, take my little test: count how many devices you can see just from where you're sitting that tell time (without even turning my head I can see seven! And you?)
But we talked about the fact that in heaven, there is no time. So there won't be any clocks, watches, timers, or stopwatches. No rushing hither and thither, unless it's for the sheer joy of it. We will forever enjoy being in the right place at the right time. What a marvelous thought: in heaven we'll enjoy eternity.
(And chocolate. LOTS of chocolate.)
And what is also interesting is how focused on time we have become. If you go back 100 years ago the time could only be found in a few places in 1 house, the family clock and maybe Dad's watch. If you travel back another 100 years it was even harder to know the exact time and the rural person rarely did know it down to the minute. What a thought provoking post and how fascinating that as time has progressed we've become more used to eating up every minute portion of it and tracking it precisely. Oh and I love this background...the old one was blah. This is much better, although I'm shocked that you didn't squeeze in some chocolate.
ReplyDeleteToo right, Savannah. And I don't want to become more efficient so I can do even more with the time I have. I want to do LESS, slow down, smell the chocolate...oops, I mean roses. It's a challenge to be good stewards of our time. And thanks for the feedback about the background - I thought it was a definite improvement. But alas, no chocolate!
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