In the good old summer time we often like the idea of things slowing down and expect that with September we will have to speed up again. We often consider this to be a part of the rhythm of life and most people play on it for all kind of reasons. We often like slow periods, that is until someone else’s slowdown gets in our way. Than we might be tempted to kick into some kind of “road rage” mode. I wonder however how we feel if we think God is slowing down on us? Do we have patience if God seems slow in answering our prayers? If we want certain dates or events to happen, are we at peace till they arrive? I fear that the answer is no!

One of the interesting things I have learned over the years is that Time is indeed elastic. It can move slow or fast depending on many things. For most of us time seems to have sped up. Some would say we have sped up and time has been constant. How much “time” did it take you to travel 100 Klms. , say 100 yrs ago? What could you do in a day? How many of our grandparents dreamed of traveling several 100 Klms. in a day and still have “Time” to do other things? Time is, in some ways, a function of the speed that you move at.

But what speed does God move at? How fast is God? Can He move so fast that time has become an insignificant dimension for Him? Some theologians would argue that when you can move at an infinitely fast rate time becomes infinitely compressed and our experience of the past, present and future would become blurred. Eternity would be in a moment and a moment would be eternity. Mystics have told us this for generations. Can we learn to be so truly present in “the moments” of our lives so to the point that we don’t worry any more about the passing of time? Is this part of what Jesus was referring to when he told us to not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. Perhaps our faith in God’s love and power can help us to let go of those concerns and fears and help free us to be more present in the moments of today.

The end of the summer and the beginning of this fall will bring many “Moments” to come and go in my life that I have been waiting for. These are key events in the flow of my time that will enable other things to happen. They will happen in the grace and according to the plan of God “as the universe around me unfolds as it should”, as some used to say quite often.

A life well lived is a live that has been active and involved in all the moments of the days of our lives. The “moments” have not been neglected or wasted, but cherished and taken in, so that they have indeed filled our cup to overflowing. When the time for our mortal life comes to an end... we will then realize that it won’t matter for time will not stop, and neither will our life. Jesus has told us, that there is a new time and a new place that we shift into and the joyful moments of God will be there in all fullness for we will have come to the place where we will be at perfect peace and love that will enable us to enjoy that great “moment” when all will be one and the one will be in the all, for we will be in heaven.

I hope that your spiritual life will allow you to keep your moments before you and help you to have peace within them, till that great and glorious day. Go into your fall with peace, remembering that the God, who is lord over all time, is preparing the way before you and He is greater than all things and loves you with an infinite love. If you dwell within the Love of God each moment of your day.... He will be with you!

Rev. Tijs, at St. Giles Presbyterian Church.

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