Timeless Counsel

“What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14 ESV

The short hand in the upper right hand corner would be meaningless to all who might wander across the page, but it stands as a reminder to me, almost a caution, that I must be guarded, prudent and wise with my time; a constant battle it seems. At present, there are four simple notes dating back to 2004 that remind me of when I last read the pages that follow. And, as the sermon is aptly titled, it reminds me of “The Preciousness of Time, and the Importance of Redeeming It.” The sermon, by Jonathan Edwards, is dated December, 1734, but its message is timeless; permit me to share some excerpts.

“Time is precious…because a happy or miserable eternity depends on the good or ill improvement of it.” Here, Edwards makes the point that we have no assurance of tomorrow and that securing reconciliation with our maker—God, the Creator of heaven and earth—is something that must be done in the present. He continues, “…when the time of life is gone, it is impossible that we should ever obtain another such time. All opportunity of obtaining eternal welfare is utterly and everlastingly gone.”

Reflecting on time past, Edwards asks, “Have you let the precious golden sands of your glass run?” Certainly, we cannot live in the past nor can we relive the past. But, we can reflect on our lives with a penetrating eye to gain wisdom as to how we should act in the present.

In reference to mindlessly wasting time Edwards quips, “If men were as lavish of their money as they are of their time…we should think them beside themselves, and not in possession of their right minds.” It has been said that “time waits for no man” and I believe that’s true. One of the most repeated dadisms heard around my house is, “You’re burning daylight.” My point being there is no time like the present to tend to important matters of the day. Also, in the big scheme of things, I’m convinced that time can be employed most profitably during the day—not during the night.

Near the end of the sermon Edwards poses this question that cuts to the heart of the matter: “Would you not behave otherwise than you do, if you considered with yourselves every morning, that you must give an account to God, how you shall have spent that day?” Today, would you burn endless hours in front of the television or computer screen if you had to give an account to God this evening? Would you toss and turn in your bed during the morning if you had to give an account in the evening? If God were to pass judgment on how you spent your day, would you be as captivated by the affairs of others as you are?

The sermon concludes with three pieces of advice: (1) “Improve the present time without any delay.” (2) Take special care not to waste special seasons of time (like your youth) and (3) don’t waste time in useless diversions or amusements. Instead, make use of each day as if you would give an accounting to God each evening.

Mind Games

“Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word to you, but your very life…” ESV Deuteronomy 32:46-47.

It isn’t often that I’m tempted into a theater but, after reading reviews and hearing comments about Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, curiosity got the best of me this past weekend. I won’t ruin the movie for you, but it highlighted the power of a thought and plumbed the (fictional) depths of a thought’s beginnings. It was a mind-bender of a story that unfolded in a world where dreams and human imagination are indistinguishable from reality. But then again, what is reality?

What is reality? The question is not a recent one. It’s been asked over and over throughout the ages. John Locke (1632-1704), a British philosopher, proposed that the mind was like a blank sheet of paper that could only be filled through experience. Locke’s hypothesis would lead one to conclude that reality was very much an individualistic phenomenon. Even earlier, Plato (427-347 BC), though not quite so individualistic in his thought, proposed that visual perception (shadows in his example) represented reality. In Plato’s world, reality was circumstantial and dependent on one’s vantage point. Both ideas are dangerous. (reference: Looking at Philosophy, third edition, by Donald Palmer.)

Remember the old television commercial with the tag line “Is it real or is it Memorex?” ? For those of you without gray hair, the commercial was refers to an ancient recording media known as “tape.” The theoretical challenge was to listen to a sound and determine whether it was authentic or pre-recorded. Was the sound “reality” or was it a representation or a shadow of reality?

Moses had a firm grip on reality; he didn’t dance with shadowy thoughts. As you read Moses’ final words to his people, it’s obvious that Moses wanted to be sure that the nation knew and passed on truth; that they grasped reality. Moses knew that grasping the truth of God’s word was not a thing to be trifled with. He knew that false doctrines, warped ideas, and creative thinking would come their way. He knew that they would encounter idols. He knew that their children would be especially vulnerable to strange teachings. He knew that the mind was prone to wander. That’s why he went so far as to exhort the people that their very lives and the lives of their children depended on them understanding God’s word; reality.

Now, I propose to you that the warning of Moses is no less dire today. The mind is creative, mind games abound, and our thoughts carry a curious influence over our concept of reality. Don’t be deceived and don’t let your family be deceived. Avoid foolish, shadowy thoughts and grasp hold of the truth of God’s word. Grasp hold of reality—your very life depends on it.

The Antics of Nations

“All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?” ESV Isaiah 40:17-28

The United States, in addition to being engaged in two serious wars, is engaged in joint war games this week off the coast of South Korea in a show of force meant to impress North Korea and to deter North Korean aggression. It is a display of military power and strength; a bit of posturing and muscle flexing if you will. For its part, North Korea does a good deal of posturing on an ongoing basis; most recently by sinking a South Korean ship.

India and Pakistan regularly fire warning shots at each other, literally and figuratively, over a spot of land known as Kashmir. This posturing and muscle flexing has gone on since the late forties.

I would be remiss in any discussion of the antics of nations to omit the long history of defiance and bravado from Fidel Castro in Cuba or the arrogant voice of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. Time and space require that I omit the middle east and eastern Europe.

The antics of nations are endless it seems.

Yet for all their brashness, for all their fearsome muscle flexing and posturing, nations and the antics of nations amount to nothing when compared to God. Isaiah says that nations are “less than nothing” in contrast to God. Now, I don’t know about you, but “less than nothing” ranks high on the scale of insignificance in my mind.

Are the wars we fight important? Sure. Men and women die for their nations. Is deterrence by show of force important? Absolutely. Should leaders be confident? Yes. My purpose is not to pass judgment in these examples but to emphasize their relative insignificance before God.

God is big. He’s bigger than any war this nation has ever waged. He’s bigger than any personal battle raging within you. God is bigger than any challenge you can possibly be facing today. God is big. Let your mind wander a moment. Go ahead, think of the grandest display of power, might and magnificence that you can--God is bigger. God is bigger than life.

I’m taken aback at how little we think of God and of how small we make him. As a nation it is obvious we don’t maintain a reverent fear of God and that, in and of itself, is a fearful thing. Individually, too often our confidence is in the antics of nations instead of God. We’d do well to grasp hold of the truth that even nations are “nothing before him” and place our confidence in he who is beyond comparison; the most high God, creator of heaven and earth.