Time. Part 2

Last time, I started writing about Time and how it can become an ally to the believer. We discussed how time is mandated to give expression to that which has been sown into it, such that if a man indeed sows, as far as time is concerned, there will come a time for harvest.

The nature of the harvest, however, remains multifactorial.

In the scriptures, God employs time in several ways. For instance, you find phrases like, according to the time of life; often referring to the natural passage of time. That is, whatever it is that God was doing, He placed it in the natural flow of time, and in due time, it found expression.

Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Genesis 18:14 (KJV)

For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

Genesis 21:2 (KJV)

So we see that there was a set time, and it was set according to the time of life.

Sometimes, however, that may not provide the advantage that is required. Some of us may find ourselves working against time or running out of time, such that if things work according to the time of life, then they might as well not happen because we “don’t have time”, in a sense.

God has other ways he intervenes with time in time: God can stop time. God can reverse time. God can hasten time. God can multiply time. (And next time we might look closely into these possibilities.)

[12] Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
[13] And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
[14] And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

Joshua 10:12-14 (KJV)

Someone is probably asking in their hearts: how does the Sun stand still for me? I’ll give you an example;

[6] Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.
[7] Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.
[8] Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
[9] And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.
[10] And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
[11] As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.
[12] Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.
[13] And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

Joshua 14:6-13 (KJV)

I suppose it is a long read, but my emphasis is in verse 11: As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

This, beloved, is a example of time standing still for a man. He got an inheritance from God through Moses when he was 40 years old. Now he was 85 years old and, ordinarily speaking, according to the time of life, his physical strength should have been waning – he definitely should not be as strong as he was when he was 40 years old.

Now this should ordinarily not have been a problem, except thatthis inheritance allotted to him would require the exertion of strength to enter into its fulness.

So for him, God preserved his strength such that even though time passed, that passage of time had no natural consequence for him. His strength did not abate. 45 years later, he still had the strength he had when he was 40 years old in order to possess his inheritance.

I mentioned before that time is not supposed to be a source of disadvantage. Someone once said: “Time began with the production of those beings that are measured by time”.

I say again that time, though, neutral by presentation, is one of the biggest advantages a man can sustain.

God can give us a handle by which we can find the time we require to fulfill that which He has placed upon our hearts. Whatever the nature of the relationship that exists between time and your progress in life, understand this: Time can work for your good. God can make it so.