ADVENT GOD'S TIME

You Know What Time It is”  Romans 13: 11

    Do you know what time it is?  It is the time of God’s own coming into our lives silently but with strength.  In an interesting phrase we are reminded of this.  “ You know what time it is”  Literally “ And, this, knowing the time, that it is the hour”  Did you ever have anyone ask you,” What time is it?”  I am tempted to say.” Daytime”, but then I politely tell the time.  Some know the time because they have a watch but they do not know the time!  The time  is “ that we should be aroused out of sleep; the night is advanced, and the day has drawn near!” Ro. 13:12   In God, there is no time.  Time as my theology professor used to say is the measure of the motion of created objects.  God is eternal.  In Him there is our past, our present and our future!

    One of the earliest Christians, St. Augustine ( died in 430 AD) heard parts of this passage, specifically, “ As in the day we should walk, not in revels and drinking, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. Vs. 13 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.”  As he read he experienced this as God speaking directly to him, convicting him of his past sins, and offering him forgiveness….and calling him to amend his life, and promising him the grace and power to do it.   He burst into tears, and surrendered.  Later he wrote,”

                     Late have I loved Thee, O Lord; and behold,   Thou wast within and I without, and there I sought Thee.  Thou was with me when I was not with Thee.  Thou didst call, and cry, and burst my deafness.  Thou didst gleam, and glow, and dispel my blindness.  Thou didst touch me, and I burned for Thy peace.  For Thyself Thou hast made us, and restless our hearts until in Thee shall they find their ease.  Late have I loved Thee, Thou Beauty ever old and ever new.  Thou hast burst my bonds asunder; unto Thee will I offer up an offering of praise.”

    We live in a world that is on its own time, largely thinking itself independent of God.  Not realizing that God is the creator and sustainer and sovereign mover behind all things many spin their wheels, much as the guinea pig we used to have in a cage going nowhere.  If we slow down, and catch the time it will cause us to listen attentively to what is going on as we see how we are treating ourselves, others, and what God is doing in our time.  “in a lifetime the average American will spend:

Six months sitting at stoplights
Eight months opening junk mail
One year looking for misplaced objects
2 years unsuccessfully returning phone calls
4 years doing housework
5 years waiting in line
6 years eating”

Survey of 6000 people polled in 1988, U.S. News and World Report, Jan 30, 1989, p. 81.

    Chuck Swindoll has a book, Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life that I remembered .  He writes, “…the best test of my Christian growth occurs in the mainstream of life, not in the quietness of my study.  Anybody can walk in victory when surrounded by books, silence, and the warm waves of sunshine splashing through the window…the ability to accept delay.  Or disappointment.  To smile back at setbacks and respond with a pleasant, understanding spirit.  To cool it while others around you curse it.  For a change, I refused to be hassled by today’s delay.  I asked God to keep me calm and cheerful, relaxed and refreshed.  Know what? He did.  He really did.  No pills.  No booze.  No hocus-pocus.  Just relaxing in the power of Jesus.”

    Advent is a time when we have a glorious opportunity to listen, sit back and hear the words that lead us to the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But that is not all that it is.  For in the lights of the Advent candles is reflected back to us our own poverty of spiritual growth, our own impatience and inability to receive God’s time.  We could take a step back gently asking the Lord to breathe his Holy Spirit upon us knowing that this is our continued salvation.  We will not find it running ahead of God and demanding why He did not do such or such or give us this or that.  We will not find it in the world we think we live in or feel it should be, but in the world God has given us. 

     In slowing down and listening we will discover the true serenity of God’s perfect peace and presence, not in the things we cannot change. (Reinhold Neibuhr’s prayer).  He will give us the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference of those we cannot change.  You know what time it is.  It is the time of God’s own coming into the world to rescue us from our darkness and ignorance.  In those candles we see His light.  For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy , peace…patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control . ( Galatians 5:22-23)

    On this first Sunday of Advent, we know time it is.  It is God’s time.  For He made all things.  He will tell us in His time what path we are to take.  And He comes to us in our doubts, uncertainty and disappointments to let us know He never left us.  In God’s time are our loved ones whose souls have been reunited with God forever.  They live without withering bodies never to suffer anymore.  In God’s time we hear His promises and feel His presence.  Let us think about how God has sustained us in the past and pray some prayers that affirm that:

“ FOR TRUSTFULNESS”

“ O Most Loving Father, who willest us to give thanks for all things, to dread nothing but the loss of Thee, and to cast all our cares on Thee, who carest for us; Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, and grant that no cloud of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which thou hast manifested unto us in thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

“ O Heavenly Father, thou understandest all thy children; through thy gift of faith we bring our perplexities to the light of thy wisdom, and receive the blessed encouragement of thy sympathy, and a clearer knowledge of Thy will.  Glory be to Thee for all thy gracious gifts.Amen.”