Time can fly. Time can drag on. And – MOSTLY IMPORTANT – time can be a wonderful gift given to you by God.
Without Time There Is No Free Will!
Unlike the angels, God created humankind with freewill. Humans can decide if they want to do good or evil.
John 7:17: "Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own."
Think how time works when training a dog. If the dog does something wrong, it’s immediately punished. And if it does the right thing, it’s immediately rewarded. If God rewarded or punished us immediately upon our action, we simply would not have free will. The rewards or punishments would make our decisions for us.
God, by creating time, has put distance between cause and effect … between our actions and appropriate rewards and punishments. And this gives us the freedom to choose.
Time Gives Us The Opportunity To Earn Mercy.
Time is a wonderful gift, because it gives us the ability to repent.
Acts 11:18: "When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Time creates the space we need to recognize our wrongdoings and to correct our wrongs. But wait; it gets better. Take a look …
Acts 3:19: "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"
According to Acts 3:19, not only does repentance help us receive mercy, but it also wipes the slate clean. Have you ever thought, “I wish I’d never done that.” Or, “I wish I could take that back.” Well, God’s mercy is so great, that YOU CAN. And TIME IS A TOOL that can allow us to repent and repair damage done.
So What’s The ULTIMATE Gift That Time Provides?
The ultimate reward for repentance is, well, repentance. Here’s why that’s not as simple as it sounds … the word “repent” or “repentance” means to RETURN.
The ultimate reward for repentance is, well, repentance. Here’s why that’s not as simple as it sounds … the word “repent” or “repentance” means to RETURN.
When we sin, we separate ourselves from God and, thereby, separate ourselves from God’s blessings. By using time to repent, we are literally removing the space between us and God. We are proactively reuniting with God.
James 4:8-10: "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you."
So, if we want to earn mercy … if we want to draw closer to God … if we want to receive more blessings … IT’S ABOUT TIME!
