THE MYSTERY OF TIME

THE MYSTERY OF TIME
Saturday, December 28, 2019 by Leona Choy

On New Year's eve we are mesmerised to watch and listen to the countdown for the dropping of the glistening, symbolic time-ball dropping slowly to the ground in Times Square to mark the beginning of a new year—and in a few days the start of another decade. I gaze into the mirror at my own reflection and the indelible marks of time recorded there.

Time concerns me, especially in the final summit season of my life. I'm conscious of my mortality, of the end of earth-time itself and of my earth-time in particular.

Man differs from animals in that God created him with an awareness of the passing of time and the limitation of the human life span. Realizing its brevity, I question, How shall I invest my life to make the best use of the time that remains?

This thought sent me on a search to ask, “What is time?” Time is said to be a dimension and measure in which events can be ordered from the past through the present into the future; also the measure of sequence, duration of events, and the intervals between them. Someone has whimsically observed, "Time is what keeps everything from happening at once."

With our finite minds we don't really understand what time is nor do we know what time it is according to God's sovereign time schedule. We can't even use our five senses or apply the scientific method to experience time, yet we are subject to it. Time is invisible and illusive like the wind. We can only see the consequences of time in our face reflected in the mirror or in the faces of our family and friends and in changes in the material world around us.

Although we can't accurately define time, apparently we can waste time, invest time, pass the time away, kill time, find time, be on time, lose time, save time, and measure time. I can be short of time and out of time; there can be a convenient time, an appointed time, an acceptable time, and leisure time. People do time in prison. Some of us are in prime time. There is a departure time for planes, trains—and people. There is a last time and a time of judgment. Isn't it incredible that God who is outside of time acts in the fullness of time? And that He expects us to redeem the time?

According to the Genesis record, our eternal no-time God established time at the creation of Planet Earth to measure the days. “Evening and morning were the first day....” Since that time, we who live on on this whirling ball are subject to space and time. Sometimes we get impatient and think God is too slow to answer our prayers. With King David in the Psalms we cry, “It is time for Thee, O Lord, to work...” At times we would like to accelerate time, at other times to slow it down.

God deals with us in our time frame in an orderly way. The Scriptures declare, “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every purpose under heaven. There is a time to give birth, a time to die, to plant, to uproot, kill, heal....” Twenty-eight time-events are listed in the book of Ecclesiastes that encompass most of life.

In His incarnate human body, although Jesus was the eternal Son of God, He was aware at certain times that His “time had not yet fully come,” and later that “My time is at hand.” The devil was apparently able to accelerate time during his temptation of Jesus by showing him “all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.”

Since time began, temporal measurements have occupied scientists and philosophers, those who study astronomy, and those who navigate. In an effort to understand time, man observed the movement of the sun across the sky, the phases of the moon, the movement of the stars, the swing of a pendulum, and the beat of a heart.

From prehistoric times, man has tried to divide the day in many ways: by using oil lamps, marked candles, sun dials, water clocks, sand hour glasses, and eventually ingenious astronomical clocks. It's hard to believe that mechanical clocks were not invented until as recently as 1275. On my visits to my heritage homeland in the Czech Republic, it was an awesome experience to see the famous Astronomical Clock in the city square in Prague (pictured here)

Not until 1884 was an agreement reached on global time measurement and Greenwich Mean Time adopted as the international standard. Today we rely on atomic clocks for our most accurate measurements of time. Few of us know that the international unit of time, the second, is defined in terms of radiation emitted by caesium atoms.

In the not too distant past, one had to go to the public square to find out what time it was! Eventually, when clocks were designed smaller, they came into domestic use, then personal use as pocket watches, then wrist watches—now we tell time on our cell phones! Who knows what time-measurement devices lie in the near future?

Now that we are able to measure time accurately, what have we achieved? We can't control time. We are at its mercy—we can't stop the clock, slow it, or reverse it. It took time for us to be formed in our mother's womb, we were born in due time, and we age in time. Although we live in time right now, eternity without time is in our future. There must have been a “non-time,” a time before it was, and the Scriptures tell us that there will be a time when time shall be no more.

My mortal body is subject to the corruption of earth time. My soul (spirit) is not subject to time; it is eternal. My ordained length of time on earth is given me by God to cultivate for eternity. God holds me accountable for the earth-time with which He generously trusted me.

MY TIME

Leona Choy

God gave me a measure

of time for my treasure,

a slight but generous slice

from an endless eternity.

If I embrace time selfishly

I lose it eventually.

If I surrender it entirely

to The Great Timekeeper

I find time for all

that in His perfect will

God planned for me.

My times, O Lord,

are in Your hands.

Each breath I take,

each beat of my heart

like the tick of a clock

is a portion of eternity

minutes loaned by God to me

that I might redeem the time.

Fantastic thought!

God has chosen me

for this moment in history,

actually destined me

to leave a mark for Him

upon some hearts on this earth

as I pass through this span of time

that is called my generation!

****

“As for me, I trust in Thee, O Lord,

I say, 'Thou art my God.

My times are in Thy hand.'"

Psalm 31:14, 15a

“For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it;

but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it.”

Matthew 16:25

Share This Blog:

Comments

Clarice Orr From Lincoln At 12/30/2019 3:58:59 PM

Leona, I love your wise comments! In your later times, your comments are better than ever. I can't believe you have recently survived major surgery! I'm going to share your beautiful Time with my friends.

Reply by: Leona Choy

Friend Clarice, thank you for your encouragement and prayers. You have a Platform to please God where you are that is like no other. Pray that I will use the generous bonus health resulting from the successful surgery to offer the Lord still more spiritual fruit to please Him as I encourage others.

Roger Warda From Macomb Township MI At 12/30/2019 3:19:08 PM

Thanks Leona, this was one of your best. Love, Roger.

Reply by: Leona Choy

Dear Roger, "my brother from the same Father," I pray continually for you in your physical struggles with this easily disordered earth suit we wear while on earth. Keep running the race of life with patience and trust in God. Beyond the Finish Line there is joy and health Forevermore. Press on, my friend.

Mark Ho From Maryland At 12/30/2019 10:25:26 AM

Thanks for your article which is full of divine wisdom and inspiration. I praise the Lord for continue using you for His Glory. To me, it is also a sign of your full recovery and a specicial grace from God to His favorite servant! Thank you, Mark

Reply by: Leona Choy

Thank you Mark, our good friend from times at the Chinese Church in D.C.in younger years. Pray that I will be a good steward of the renewed health resulting from my successful surgery.To walk and not run is a new learning experience in serving the Lord. I pray for your strength to please God at your season of life.

Mark Ho From Maryland At 12/30/2019 10:25:26 AM

Reply by: Leona Choy

Thank you, Mark. You too are the Lord's "favorite" as we all are in unique ways. He is an "over-blesser" and our cup overflows with His goodness and mercy that is lifelong.

Sarah From Texas At 12/29/2019 9:47:25 PM

This was very beneficial. I have been pondering time a lot lately. I hate that I wasted so much time before I met the living Christ 26. Almost every waking hour I feel a sense of urgency. I want you to know that God has used you in my life. Your words today have helped me greatly.

Reply by: Leona Choy

Thank you for your kind words, Sarah. God has some reason to impress you with a sense of urgency. Our times are in His hands. He has had His hand on your life since I first knew you. God bless your sons and bless and guide them at the specific points of their need.

Jennifer From Montana At 12/29/2019 1:42:11 PM

Dear, dear Leona, this is such a profound post on time. Thank you! You continue to astound me in your use of words and the gift of writing and communication that you have been blest with...and all for God’s Kingdom. You continue to inspire me and ignite my own writing passions. Love, Jen

Reply by: Leona Choy

Sweet Jennifer, we are bonded in a special way in the spirit and in the flesh. I pray for your wisdom to understand the leading of God in your life at this point, particularly as to where He wants you to live. Your heart is obviously in Montana with your loved ones. God will make your path clear in His due time. Be patient and trust Him.

Madeline Trotman From Charlottesville VA At 12/29/2019 8:17:10 AM

Leona, thank you for sharing your thoughts ...which seem to give a wonderful overview of sitting where God sits....a perspective thru His eyes on how to view our moments on this soil

Reply by: Leona Choy

Dear Madeline, I pray that God may touch your life in this new decade in some surprising way that you will know it must be directly in His plan. It will be a sign of His favor and pleasure in you. Keep pressing on in the joy of the Lord which will give you the strength you need for some unexpected task.

Bill C From Winchester At 12/29/2019 7:00:59 AM

Leona: Thank you for your many insights. You are a gift in our lives.

Reply by: Leona Choy

Dear Bill and Louise too, I pray that early in this decade you will have some unexpected blessings from the Lord for which you have patiently waited-whether for yourselves or your family. It is now God's due time and He will show you His love and favor as you rejoice in His goodness and mercy.

Elaine Marshall From Minnesota At 12/29/2019 6:41:06 AM

Beautiful! Thank you!

Reply by: Leona Choy

Dear Elaine, I am praying that as a result of your surgery, you will experience a greater measure of both energy and strength. Take time to rest in the Lord, however. He doesn't expect the "doings" from us in our latter season of life, but rather our focus on our intimate relationship with Him. It is time for you to enjoy "green pastures.

Dorothy Agnes Vining From Danbury CT At 12/29/2019 5:00:46 AM

Dear Sal, I'm so happy to be continuing on with you. I Remember back in the day when Barbara Curtis was a force of nature and still continue to follow with Tripp Curtis and the Downs boys and daughter Maddy who sang - and still sings. It's strange the facts that stick with us but we can't remember

Reply by: Leona Choy

Sweet Baby Dot, you and I are still on Planet Earth for the purposes of God to be completed in us and through us to those in our circle of influence. He only requires us to be obedient to His voice as we listen to His whisper day by day. We both count His generous blessings, especially the care that our loved ones provide for us in time of need.

The Rest of The Way

I Have Left My Earth Suit
Leona's Family
3/9/2023

WHAT FLAVOR ICE CREAM DO YOU PREFER?
Leona Choy
1/28/2023

LISTEN FOR YOUR NAME
Leona Choy
1/21/2023

WHY THE DARK PUZZLE PIECES?
Leona Choy
1/17/2023

FINAL QUARTER CHALLENGE
Leona Choy
1/13/2023

WELCOME 2023
Leona Choy
1/1/2023

DRY BROOKS
Leona Choy
12/25/2022

LEGACY TO MY GENERATIONS
Leona Choy
12/20/2022

PROMISE KEEPING
Leona Choy
12/17/2022

"CHEWING MY OWN CUD"
Leona Choy
12/10/2022

IN PURSUIT OF A SUPER-WORD
Leona Choy
12/2/2022