Making Time About Something More Than Space
Like everything in Creation, God created us; you and me. Creatures crafted from clay and conceived through Divine breath. God commanding the nothingness to become somethingness. Life as we know it and a life that will be made known.
Planted in paradise, humanity found itself amidst the Divine. A rupture in the relationship when man and woman no longer trusted in God or in one another. Brokenness bringing doubt, desolation, despair, disappointment and a devilish disturbance to all of creation.
Humanity exiled to prevent any further destruction to us or to God’s good world until that glorious day when every object and every subject will be made true. When right relations will rule without being a rule. Recorded on our hearts and recognized by our actions.
Exiled from Eden, all of human history since that existential exit has been about us trying to replicate Eden. Manmade substitutes seeking to replicate God created space. Momentary efforts to create our own safe space using weapons and plowshares. Seeking security, sustenance and superfluity.
Erecting fences and walls, creating tools and instruments, manufacturing weapons and surveillance equipment. Creating fortresses of fear to inflict harm against any enemies, foreign or domestic. Falsely believing we’ll find security in stuff as opposed to the Spirit.
Our private lives mirroring public lies. A lifetime of chasing stuff to fill and refill our momentary space. Toiling days and years to possess even more things; even if we’re awash in a sea of stuff and drowning in an ocean of objects. Things that we’ll leave behind because the genuine value of life is never found in materialism. Love is what endures here, there and everywhere.
When we attempt to create “spiritual” space, it’s mostly about buildings, places or locations. Spaces that are often beautiful and inspirational like churches and temples and gardens and parks. Space that can also be used to shrewdly separate us from God.
Mistakenly believing that God only resides in public spaces of worship and reflection. That humanity and God are always playing a game of hide and seek. But Love isn’t about games and God never hides from us; it’s us that hide from God.
In our efforts to create our own Eden enclave, whatever that might look like, we often use the gift of time as a means to achieve our desires as opposed to using it honor God. Treating time not as a gift, but as a commodity. Bartering and trading it for more stuff because we cannot manufacture time.
We don’t truly comprehend or understand time even after we’ve dissected it and dismembered it; structured it and systematized it. We default to manipulation of space, because it’s easier for us to understand the physical world as opposed to the eternal world.
My own life measuring over 21,000 days after fifty-eight years. A massive majority of life’s minutes and moments I don’t recall. Memories lost in time, but found in God.
We are eternal creatures because our Creator has offered us the gift of everlasting life. A gracious gift only God gives. A gift overflowing with life because God is love.
A gift that frees us from the tyranny and futility of trying to create our own perfect personal paradise. An oasis that really is a mirage. An illusion that will revealed when we cross over between worlds.
Spiritually awake, I’m beginning to understand that time isn’t only about creating and adorning space; if at all. Reminded not worry about what I’ll eat or drink; what I’ll wear or where I’ll keep it. To look up at the birds of the air. Remembering that they don’t sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet our heavenly Father feeds them.
Using time as a gift to nourish our relationship with God. To fulfill our hearts, as opposed to furnishing our space. Taking time to create space that allows us to serve others, pray, meditate, read scripture, worship, or just be still. To know that I am God.
Spending our limited life’s time to nurture our relationship with God. Remembering that God rested on the seventh day. Not for God, but for us.
Take this time and this space to serve God. To do unto others. To create love that honors Love. A blessing reverberating across time and space.
God loves you. Peace.