Time

In preparation for teaching during the Christmas Season, I have been studying TIME. One of the common tools sailors used through the centuries was an hourglass. Hourglasses were reliable for measuring time during the day and night, in stormy and fair weather. Hourglasses come in different sizes and “time” measurements. Some hourglasses are 12 hour, some 6 hour and others 1 hour. The time measured is dependent on the amount of sand and the flow between the upper and lower chambers of the hourglass. The hourglass is a great picture of life. No two people have the same amount of “sand” in their hourglass, and the flow from the upper chamber and lower chamber of their hourglass varies in each individual. Moses in Psalm 90 wrote, from his observation and experience, “Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty.” Psalms 90:10 (NLT) Of course many live less than 70 years and some live more than 80 years. (My Mom is 91 and we have a woman in our church that will be 103 in February 2022) The writers of the books and letters in the Bible encouraged people to handle “time”and life wisely. Moses prayed “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” Psalms 90:12 (NLT) Jesus’ brother James wrote: “Look here, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’ Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.” James 4:13-16 (NLT) Solomon wrote: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.” Proverbs 3:5-7 (NLT) Jesus help us to trust you with every minute, hour, day, week, month and year. Help us trust you with the “sand” in our hourglass.