What Time is It?

It is Saturday and Sunday is coming! Hopefully, you are as eager to gather as I am to preach. My text is Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, where we read these very familiar words: "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven-"

For some reason, I can detect the sweet aroma of predestination in this passage--an appointed time for everything! Wow! A time for every event under heaven! Double wow! Everything happens at the "right time" and this is good news--very good news, especially when you know who is behind it all.

Realizing that I cannot interfere with God's timing (don't even desire to!), I do wonder this:What time is it? Obviously, "time" will tell but that doesn't satisfy me because it will be after the fact. I am asking Him to give me a bit of a "heads up" for those of us who are committed to the part of the Body of Christ called Grace Christian Fellowship, even though I know He probably won't do it (He insists that we walk by faith, you know).

Until He does (which will probably be never), I offer the following: In order for us to be prepared to live the more abundant life that He offers us (wrapped in all kinds of packages), it is in my opinion TIME FOR US TO THROW OVERBOARD EVERYTHING THAT HINDERS OUR LIVING IN THE SIMPLICITY AND PURITY OF DEVOTION TO CHRIST.

Like it or not, one of the days (at the right time), a special kind of limo (aka hearse) will arrive to take our physical bodies to their graves, which on the one hand will be good--like, very good; on the other hand, however, if we have refused to rid our lives of the aforementioned "clutter," we will have missed so much of what God has provided here on this earth for our enjoyment and pleasure, and that won't be good (at least, not in my opinion).

It is my prayer that each of us will embrace 2007 not only determined to rid our lives of the clutter that controls us and distracts us, but also motivated to live every minute out of undistracted devotion to Jesus.

Looking forward!
Your Pastor