Rev. Dr. Norma Cook Everist
I have a poster which hangs in my study that reads: “Give God Time.” Actually, God gives us the treasure of time. God embraces all time. Indeed, in the beginning when darkness covered the face of the deep, God created light. With the same phrase we enter the Gospel of John: “In the beginning” was the Word, Jesus Christ. What had come into being was Jesus in whom was life and light for all people. It is true that “In the fullness of time” God sent God’s Son.
Time is both trouble and treasure. We tangle ourselves up in time. We trouble ourselves and each other. We claim power by keeping others waiting. We forget to keep time commitments. We neglect to put ourselves in the hands of our timeless God.
Jesus’ time on earth was short; he died young. Christ was crucified when darkness came over the whole land; he descended to the dead. After three days, Jesus rose again. We have received the treasure of new life in Christ. We have been rescued from the trouble of time for a restored relationship with time itself. We have been freed to receive the treasure of time and share it with each other in reconciled relationships.
We have the treasure of liturgical time: Four weeks in Advent, 40 days of Lent, 50 days after the Resurrection is Pentecost Sunday. These is treasured times to worship God.
God in Christ Jesus, who was, and is and is to come, free us from our troubles with time in our relationships. We thank you for the treasure of time with you. In the name of Jesus, our Alpha and Omega. Amen.