If only time change was real
In the middle of the night, with most of us fast asleep, a miracle will occur. The wise among us understand that it is a miracle in the accountant’s ledger only, it doesn’t actually exist, yet at precisely 2 a.m. the clock will reverse itself and to each will be credited one additional hour. It’s a do over, ours to relive.
The concept, if it were only true, would be mindboggling. Imagine having one hour each year that you could re do. Your worst mistakes could be undone and your greatest joys re-experienced.
Unfortunately, the concept exists only in fairy tales and sci-fi laboratories. Facing the gravity of that reality one of St. Paul’s more practical writings addressed it head on. He said to his readers, “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
Perhaps most crucial to understanding this concept is coming to terms with the fact that there is no such thing as turning back the clock. Fall 2018 will never happen again, ever! Each opportunity is embraced or discarded with finality. It’s what makes moments precious. On the surface the stark reality of no do overs is not only sobering but in many cases is depressing. Most of us can readily think of more than a few moments where we wish we could turn back the clock.
True as it is that no moment can ever be recaptured it is also true that every moment can provide learning and insight enabling subsequent moments to be seized more intentionally. It is additionally true that although moments cannot be redone, they can be redeemed. We have the capacity to face our past, acknowledge our poor choices and wasted moments and through grace and forgiveness move forward without the weight of our past dragging us down. Grace and forgiveness are concepts at the heart of God. He is often viewed as an angry judge or a policeman with a big stick looking down, waiting for us to step out of line so we can be punished. In actuality He is better described as a Loving Father Who longs to see His children acknowledge their mess-ups, seek forgiveness and start again with a clean slate. The past is not undone but better than that it is redeemed.
St. Paul’s advice to wisely make the most of every opportunity also acknowledges the sad reality that there are numerous forces in play against wise living.
One need not look far to be persuaded to buy now and pay later; to climb the ladder with little regard to the cost incurred by one’s family; to readily discard one’s spouse for a newer model; to sacrifice health and wellness for the high provided by an ingested substance; or to trade financial security for a gamble.
There are significant downward tugs which inevitably lead to the wish to turn back the clock.
At precisely 2 a.m., one extra hour will be added to your account. It’s not a bad time to reconsider how precious every other hour is.
Tim Schroeder is pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Kelowna. This column appears in Okanagan Weekend.