Time Keeps on Ticking, Ticking, Ticking...

God's Time
Habakkuk 1:1-3:19 (New book!)

"It is not yet time for the message to come true, but that time is coming soon; the message will come true. It may seem like a long time, but be patient and wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not be delayed." (Habakkuk 2:3)

Habakkuk is a funny book. In addition to the funny sounding name, the headings of the first sections are as follows: Habakkuk Complains, The Lord Answers, Habukkuk Complains Again, The Lord Answers. I can almost imagine this as a part of a Monty Python Skit where the following segment would be Habakkuk Compains Yet Again.

It also reminds me of those trips in the car where we would cry that familiar tune, "Are we there yet?" Yes, making our holiday trips to Allentown and Royersford and Frackville and wherever else the family was. My parents were dealing with snow and ice, but we were concerned with getting out of the car at our time. The holidays seem to constantly remind us that things do not happen according to our own schedules. Want to practice patience? Try a trip to the King of Prussia Mall, the grocery store, or just try leaving the house! A blessed little reminder that we are not in control of when things happen in the grand scheme of things. That raise, that price cut on gasoline, that healing, that new medication... whatever we are praying for... it will happen, as the beautiful hymn goes, "in His time."

God's Time is Always
Psalm 146:1-10

"The Lord will be King forever. Jerusalem, your God is everlasting. Praise the Lord!" (Psalm 146:10)

It sometimes seems so heartless to think that the person who really needs help or healing or comfort right now is not experiencing it. God, why? We want to ask, "Why not? Why not now? What could be more important?" But, it's hard to get outside of our earthly selves with our human concept of time. Perhaps we should time-travel back to when we were so young and that 30 year old cousin might as well have been 100 years old! God must smile as we plan our lives thinking so often of the here and now instead of the 'forever'... the eternity of God's reign and the Lord's kingdom.

Wait for God's Time
Revelation 13:1-18

"The beast was allowed to say proud words and words against God, and it was allowed to use its power for forty-two months. It used its mouth to speak against God, against God's name, against the place where God lives, and against all those who live in heaven. It was given power over every tribe, people, language, and nation. And all who live on earth will worship the beast- all the people since the beginning of the world whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life. The Lamb is the One who was killed. Anyone who ears should listen. If you are to be a prisoner, then you will be a prisoner. If you are to be killed with the sword, then you will be killed with the sword. This means that God's holy people must have patience and faith." (Revation 13:5-10)

Revelation- what a book... one that people are often tempted to skip through. Reading this passage it's not too difficult to understand why. This beast seems horrific, but he will only be able to cause such terror for forty-two months. And the people seem to ask, "Well, what should our response be?" To that, John recommends nonresistance- "patience and faith." Those who are going to be imprisoned will be imprisoned. Those who are going to be killed will be killed. To see such pain in the world and remains strong in our faith as we wait for the Lord's reign will take tremendous faith and patience. This is why we need Christmastime... to keep our faith strong throughout the year, to remember the story that keeps us waiting patiently for the time of the Lord.