Measuring Time…Mar. 8th

When we talk in terms of ‘time,’ we don’t typically have trouble keeping track of seconds, minutes, hours or days. We can measure the hours in a day, the days in a week, the weeks in a month and the months in a year. It’s no trouble to even measure the years in a decade, century or millennium. You might say we’ve gotten pretty good at measuring time.

Then again, maybe we’ve out smarted ourselves. Perhaps the measure of time we’ve packed into a 12-month calendar has made our life over simplified. Don’t misunderstand, I have a calendar that is synchronized with my Google calendar (I know, two calendars is an accident waiting to happen, and sooner or later I’ll be double booked). But if we’re honest with ourselves, we all are trying to measure time. Peter wrote (2nd Peter 3:8) the following regarding God’s measurement of time, “…do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day.” So would you be willing to give over such a critical part of your life? Do you understand and appreciate Who holds your daily, weekly, monthly, and annual calendar? Perhaps we need a reminder concerning the One who truly understands…”Measuring Time.”

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, Mar. 8, 2015

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“We Bow Down” – 577

What words describe your posture when it comes to worship? Are you ‘sitting alone at eve,’ or do you ‘stand in awe?’ Perhaps you are more humble in the presence of the Father. Would that we all say…‘we bow down and worship You Lord.’

“As the Life of a Flower” – no book

Written over a hundred years ago, this spiritual song has been sung at numerous funerals. That’s understandable, especially as we conclude the chorus, ‘…so the years glide away, and alas, we must die.’ But don’t miss the message of time from this old ‘psalm.’ Referencing the 15th verse of 103rd Psalm notice the parallel, “As for a man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more…” “As the life of a flower, as a breath or a sigh, so the years that we live as a dream haste by; true, today we are here, but tomorrow may see just a grave in the vale, and a memory of me.” We must never forget that it is God who measures our time.

“The Love of God” – 133

Only singing the first verse, notice the vast depth of God’s love. As we sing, notice the description of how difficult it is to comprehend the love of God; “The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen could ever tell. It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell…O love of God, how rich and pure, how measureless and strong!”

“A Hill Called Mount Calvary” – 373

Made famous by the Gaither family, this song turns our hearts to the cross as we remember the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection. We believe “…in a hill called Mount Calvary. (We) I’ll believe whatever the cost; and when time has surrendered and earth is no more, (we’ll) I’ll still cling to the old rugged cross.” Did you notice that last line, ‘and when time has surrendered…’ We have no measurement of time, and no one knows when it will come to an end. We can only know/control this one thing, that ‘when time has surrendered, and earth is no more’ we will either be clinging to the old rugged cross…or we won’t. The choice is yours.

“Be Still and Know” – 31

“Be still and know that I am God!” A direct quote from Psalm chapter 46, verse 10 as the Psalmist wrote, “Cease striving (let go, relax…be still) and know that I am God.” Perhaps we shouldn’t worry so much about measuring this life (or our own) and leave that detail up to God.

“Heaven Came Down” – 517

Do you remember the day you were baptized? Do you remember how old you were? My ‘day of salvation’ came on a Tuesday night in 1976. We worshiped at the 1st Street church of Christ in Dumas, Texas where we held one of our annual gospel meetings. To quote the song, “My sins were washed away, and my night was turned to day…Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!” Today, we will appropriately conclude with the third verse, “Now I’ve a hope that will surely endure after the passing of time…” Thanks be to God, He is measuring my time.

“In the Land of Fadeless Day” – 890

We are singing lots of scripture when we sing this psalm. Notice the reference to the city four-square, the gates of pearl and the streets of gold. Even the reminder that ‘the Lamb is all the light.’ As we sing the chorus we find comfort in knowing that, ‘God shall wipe away all tears.‘ But pay special attention to the final statement in this old psalm, “And they count not time by years…”. We know, we sing and remember who is in control, and who is “measuring time.”

“Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand” – 613

Time on this earth is moving and changing (it’s filled with swift transition), and nothing here will remain (naught of earth unmoved can stand)! Knowing that God is the One who measures our time, it ‘behooves’ us to hold on to His timeless, unchanging hand.

1, January 16, 20151, January 17, 2015

Redeeming God’s Time…Jan. 18th

Redemption is an interesting word. By definition it means the “deliverance or rescue” of something. But what is worthy of redeeming? We sing ‘redeemed how I love to proclaim it,’ ‘let the redeemed of the Lord say so,’ and ‘…for on the holy cross hast Thou the world from sin redeemed.’ We know, in Christ, we have been redeemed, but what else can we redeem? Welcoming Chris McCurley to Waterview’s pulpit this coming Sunday morning we look forward to hearing his thoughts on redeeming time.

It makes me think about the old hymn ‘Softly and Tenderly’ as we sing the third verse (though we won’t be singing it this week), “Time is now fleeting the moments are passing…” With time ‘fleeting,’ lasting for a very short time, how can we redeem it. Perhaps, more importantly, we should ask ourselves, who owns our time? Join us as we consider redeeming GOD’S time.

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, January 18, 2015

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Holy Ground Medley” – 100 &101

A strong, spiritual medley that turns us toward the holiness of God. Be careful this Sunday morning as you come together to worship God as a collective body of believers. Two young men came to worship God (they were actually leading the worship) and give Him a sacrifice that wasn’t pleasing (acceptable) to God, and immediately suffered the consequences. To know why, one need only read the words of the boy’s uncle found in Leviticus 10:3, “It is what the Lord spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy…” As we come to worship this morning remember, we’ll be standing in His holy presence, on Holy Ground.

“Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed?” – 324

One of the most pointed lyrics from the pen of Isaac Watts, this spiritual song reminds us that we have a Savior who bled and died and devoted Himself, His ‘sacred head for such a worm as I.’ But is that the way we sing it? Do we call ourselves ‘worms?’ The Psalmist (David) once wrote in Psalm chapter 22, verse 6, “But I am a worm and not a man.” Job, in his despair, made the same acclamation (Job 25:6). Understanding the meaning of this humble statement, we see the reference to our feeble and despised condition. Without God, we are but worms. We’ve changed the wording to ease our minds and satisfy our self esteem. But I can’t miss the message…my Savior bled and died for me.

“Take Time to Be Holy” – 731

In a fast paced world we rarely slow down long enough to ‘smell the roses.’ Not to mention, taking time to be holy. But what does that mean? How can I ‘take time’ to be holy? Consider the words of the poet W.D. Longstaff; …1) speak often with your Lord, 2) abide in Him always and 3) feed on His word (read the Bible.) 4) Make friends of God’s people, 5) help those who are weak and 6) never forgetting to seek His blessings. In addition we should 7) be calm in our souls, 8) letting each thought and each motive be in His control. (That’s a hard one when you think about it!) But, when we do these things we’ll be led by His Spirit and better fitted for His service. Perhaps that’s how we ‘take time to be Holy.’

“Sing On, Ye Joyful Pilgrims” – 747

Fanny J. Crosby added a great thought in the chorus of this song, “…my heart is filled with rapture (joy), my soul is lost in praise.’ How often do we get ‘lost in thought’ during the course of the day? But what a concept that our souls would be ‘lost in praise.’ Translated, nothing else matters except praising our God.

“Higher Ground” – no book

A spiritual song we know well, but one we sing with a renewed twist. Men echo throughout the verses and chorus as we encourage each other to press on toward heaven.

“Savior Lead Me” – 409

A call to repentance as we sing this hymn for our Savior to lead us. But notice where we’re asking Him to lead us. Certainly heavenward and away from the stormy billows, but as I sing the chorus I’m asking for Him to lead me, “gently down the stream of time…” He is our refuge and we will be ‘safe when by His side,’ but as He leads us, will we follow Him? Are we willing, and honestly ready to obey Him and follow where my Savior leads me?

“Hold To God’s Unchanging Hand” – 613

“Time is filled with swift transition, naught of earth unmoved can stand…” But what does that mean, “naught of earth unmoved can stand.”? Naught means nothing, so we build upon this principle as we consider the poetry. Nothing on earth will continue without being changed/moved. In short, everything is changing here on earth. However, as we hold to God, His unchanging hand (referencing Jesus in Hebrews 13:8), we know we can build upon Him. Building our hopes on things eternal and looking to redeem God’s time as we hold to His hand.

1, August 24, 20121, August 23, 2012

Everything Changes, Except…

Change isn’t easy! As a matter of fact, Sydney Harris, an American journalist for the Chicago Daily News once said, “Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better.”

Change can be hard to face at times and yet if we want to grow, we have to change. For things to sincerely ‘get better’, they can’t stay the same. This week my daughter (a senior in HS) went with me to the office. As we talked about the changes in our family, big brother is now in college, I reminder her that we ALL change. She wasn’t going to always be my little blonde, curly haired 5 year old. She was growing into adulthood and, if the Lord wills, would one day have a family of her own. If we remain the same, that would be nice, but how could things hope to improve. As a matter of fact, in our spiritual lives we sing the song, “Change My Heart of God”. If we want our lives to ‘get better’, we have to go through a metamorphosis (a change). But why do we ‘hate change?’ Perhaps it’s because of the uncertainty that lies ahead.

How often I would like for things to ‘just stay the same’. Actually some folks take great strides to make sure things never change. We are comfortable with the tried and true. Not needing to ‘wonder what will happen next’ is a good thing…isn’t it? Let me direct you to another hymn that actually talks about the changes in our lives. The transitions that we face in life.

Over 100 years ago Jennie Wilson penned a song that tells me what to do when uncertainty comes into my life. I need to remember the words…

Time is filled with swift transition – naught of earth unmoved can stand (Nothing on earth can change this fact)
Build your hopes on things eternal, hold to God’s unchanging hand. (The earth changes…God, eternal, does not)

Trust in Him who will not leave you, whatsoever years may bring, (God is constant, even with the changes in life)
If by earthly friends forsaken, still more closely to Him cling. (People let us down, God won’t)

When your journey is completed, if to God you have been true (When life is over, and if you have been faithful)
Fair and bright the home in glory your enraptured soul (delight without measure) will view (Heaven’s really good!)

Hold to His hand…to God’s unchanging hand!
Hold to His hand…to God’s unchanging hand!
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

We will face changes in life and some of them will make us ‘wish for the good ole days’. But change will come and often it will come swiftly. In a world that is created to ‘change’, hold fast to Him who created this world…He does NOT change. James 1:17 “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom THERE IS NO VARIATION or shifting shadow.” To put it simply…God doesn’t change.

Children hold the hands of their parents because there is comfort in knowing someone is beside them. We hold hands as couples to show our spouse (and others who might be watching) that we find comfort and security in our loved ones presence. In a world that is ‘swiftly transitioning’, perhaps we should be looking to reach out and take hold of our Father’s hand. Changes will come into your life, but with God we will always find consistency. Perhaps Mr. Harris was right, we do have a dilemma when it comes to change, but remember what he said, want we really want is for things ‘to get better.’