Sunday, November 1, 2009

Sunday November 1, 2009

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Phil 4:13



Here’s one of the motivating phrases of all time—I can do everything! Obviously a great idea to start a new month. However, this month starts with putting all the clocks back an hour. We enjoy the extra hour in bed each fall, but it takes me at least an hour to change all our clocks. Have you ever counted the clocks in your home? There are all the usual ticking timepieces on mantels and wall, and of course, the watches every household member has. Then of course, there are all the electronic clocks attached to every other device in the home: the ovens and stove, microwave, coffee pot, TV and DVD player . . .


Mercifully, our computers are programmed to change automatically, although in a forgetful moment it doesn’t stop me from trying to update them. Oh! Did I forget any clocks in the basement? Then when it seems all are done, I get in the car and find another clock—which reminds me I haven’t changed the clock in the garage. But then, I forgot to change that one in the spring, so it now shows the right time again!


Then I get nostalgic for the spring time change—not, of course, for the lost hour of sleep, but the ease of putting the clocks forward one hour: a simple one click or rotation of the dial. What makes the fall process so time consuming—unless my timepieces have a backspace—is that they all have to be put forward eleven or twenty three hours depending upon whether they are twelve or twenty four hour clocks—one of my clocks needs to be cycled through 12 and 24 hours! Of course, if the clock or watch has a calendar attached to it then . . . !


If I can get through this part of today, I’ll probably be OK for the rest of it! I’m sure that putting our clocks to the right time is within God’s will, or we’d be late (or is it early?) for church. Which brings me to the conclusion that there must be a condition against accomplishing everything through him? Paul has already suggested that whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable . . . think about such things, verse 8. Clearly, it is those things of good repute or that further the kingdom of God that are in view here, not whatever we want to do!


It is still early morning yet, and I can see a full moon leering at me through my study window just before it settles below the horizon for its day of rest. Of course, the moon doesn’t take a rest, it is now lighting the night sky for others on this ball of a planet we live on. But it is a reminder that the full resources of God are available to us continuously for everything that we need to do and he wants us to do. A good way to start the month, after wading through all the reminders of how short our time really is.

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