When we talk in terms of ‘time,’ we don’t typically have trouble keeping track of seconds, minutes, hours or days. We can measure the hours in a day, the days in a week, the weeks in a month and the months in a year. It’s no trouble to even measure the years in a decade, century or millennium. You might say we’ve gotten pretty good at measuring time.
Then again, maybe we’ve out smarted ourselves. Perhaps the measure of time we’ve packed into a 12-month calendar has made our life over simplified. Don’t misunderstand, I have a calendar that is synchronized with my Google calendar (I know, two calendars is an accident waiting to happen, and sooner or later I’ll be double booked). But if we’re honest with ourselves, we all are trying to measure time. Peter wrote (2nd Peter 3:8) the following regarding God’s measurement of time, “…do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day.” So would you be willing to give over such a critical part of your life? Do you understand and appreciate Who holds your daily, weekly, monthly, and annual calendar? Perhaps we need a reminder concerning the One who truly understands…”Measuring Time.”
“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15
Sunday morning, Mar. 8, 2015
The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.
“We Bow Down” – 577
What words describe your posture when it comes to worship? Are you ‘sitting alone at eve,’ or do you ‘stand in awe?’ Perhaps you are more humble in the presence of the Father. Would that we all say…‘we bow down and worship You Lord.’
“As the Life of a Flower” – no book
Written over a hundred years ago, this spiritual song has been sung at numerous funerals. That’s understandable, especially as we conclude the chorus, ‘…so the years glide away, and alas, we must die.’ But don’t miss the message of time from this old ‘psalm.’ Referencing the 15th verse of 103rd Psalm notice the parallel, “As for a man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more…” “As the life of a flower, as a breath or a sigh, so the years that we live as a dream haste by; true, today we are here, but tomorrow may see just a grave in the vale, and a memory of me.” We must never forget that it is God who measures our time.
“The Love of God” – 133
Only singing the first verse, notice the vast depth of God’s love. As we sing, notice the description of how difficult it is to comprehend the love of God; “The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen could ever tell. It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell…O love of God, how rich and pure, how measureless and strong!”
“A Hill Called Mount Calvary” – 373
Made famous by the Gaither family, this song turns our hearts to the cross as we remember the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection. We believe “…in a hill called Mount Calvary. (We) I’ll believe whatever the cost; and when time has surrendered and earth is no more, (we’ll) I’ll still cling to the old rugged cross.” Did you notice that last line, ‘and when time has surrendered…’ We have no measurement of time, and no one knows when it will come to an end. We can only know/control this one thing, that ‘when time has surrendered, and earth is no more’ we will either be clinging to the old rugged cross…or we won’t. The choice is yours.
“Be Still and Know” – 31
“Be still and know that I am God!” A direct quote from Psalm chapter 46, verse 10 as the Psalmist wrote, “Cease striving (let go, relax…be still) and know that I am God.” Perhaps we shouldn’t worry so much about measuring this life (or our own) and leave that detail up to God.
“Heaven Came Down” – 517
Do you remember the day you were baptized? Do you remember how old you were? My ‘day of salvation’ came on a Tuesday night in 1976. We worshiped at the 1st Street church of Christ in Dumas, Texas where we held one of our annual gospel meetings. To quote the song, “My sins were washed away, and my night was turned to day…Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!” Today, we will appropriately conclude with the third verse, “Now I’ve a hope that will surely endure after the passing of time…” Thanks be to God, He is measuring my time.
“In the Land of Fadeless Day” – 890
We are singing lots of scripture when we sing this psalm. Notice the reference to the city four-square, the gates of pearl and the streets of gold. Even the reminder that ‘the Lamb is all the light.’ As we sing the chorus we find comfort in knowing that, ‘God shall wipe away all tears.‘ But pay special attention to the final statement in this old psalm, “And they count not time by years…”. We know, we sing and remember who is in control, and who is “measuring time.”
“Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand” – 613
Time on this earth is moving and changing (it’s filled with swift transition), and nothing here will remain (naught of earth unmoved can stand)! Knowing that God is the One who measures our time, it ‘behooves’ us to hold on to His timeless, unchanging hand.