If Time Were Not a Moving Thing
The Apostle Paul said he forgot the past. Sometimes, I wish I could forget it, too. So many things only get better (more tolerable) with the passage of time. Fortunately, time does pass. It’s a double-edged sword bringing both relief and regret. The inconvenient truth is that the world and big wheels keep on turning. We can’t stand still. Whether our lives bring joy or pain, like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. There is no stopping the assault of age.
I always liked the scene at the end of the movie where the cowboy mounted his horse and rode away without a word. In my mind, I have lived that scene minus the horse. I stayed in one place a short period of time, enjoyed it awhile, got into my MG, Celica, Nova, Corolla (you name it) and drove away never to return. But my memories stayed intake. Now and then, I wonder what might have been if I had remained and wish to return, but I know I never will.
I don’t know what might have happened, but I know what did happen. I can’t save time in a bottle. I heard time waits for no man, and I believe it. Hey tomorrow, where are you going? It may be that things remembered are rosier than things experienced, but I also believe some pain never fades. One old man said to another, “Things sure aren’t like they used to be.” His companion replied, “They never were.” And the beat goes on.
I’ve not quite reached Solomon’s description of advanced age, but it bears on my mind now more than where I was a pup. I read in my Bible of the reminiscing of the old and their recitations of the past. Good and bad memories peppered their experiences, but none stopped the journey. Rachel died on the way, and Jacob buried her on the roadside to Bethlehem. Like the mail, time just keeps coming. It’s enough to make us all postal.
Christians are always wanting to camp at the well. We want to stay near the place of blessing longer than is good for us. Seldom do we think that, if we pitched our tent for long, the grass would be trampled thin and dust would hang in the air. We were made for movement. Keep your fond memories, but keep that in mind. Paul said our race is a distance event to be run with endurance. It’s always more fun to play than to sit on the bench.
God’s plan for you is ahead- not behind. That may mean literally moving from place to place, but it may just as well mean personal growth in your circumstance. Time is marching on. Do you hear the cadence? We may run ahead or be swept along, but move we will. God did not make you. He is making you. You are a work in progress. The places you’ll go at God’s direction will thrill your soul. Lift your head and allow your heart to soar.
Sterl
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