Can you spare a TIME!
By Rev Adam Fox
I have been thinking about time a lot recently. Mainly due to Ryan Knudsen.
Ryan was a student of mine from years past. I had the pleasure of being with him as he was led to the Lord when he was in junior high. Ryan, or Nudey, was a great young man that loved life. He is with the Lord now, but in that period of his life in JR High, the 80s ruled. And one of his favorite movies then was Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.
Ryan was a student of mine from years past. I had the pleasure of being with him as he was led to the Lord when he was in junior high. Ryan, or Nudey, was a great young man that loved life. He is with the Lord now, but in that period of his life in JR High, the 80s ruled. And one of his favorite movies then was Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.
This movie, and so many other movies with a similar plot, had the two heroes needing to go back in time in order to save the day. We see this formula in the Bill and Ted franchise, Back to the Future, Hot Tub Time Machine, plus hundreds of other worse movies. And let us not forget it is used in EVERY Sci-fi show ever. I'm Looking at you Stargate!
Time is a temptress. It is something we want to control, usually want more of, or to be able to control. Growing up I always wanted to be able to freeze time, or slow it down to a super crawl.
I wanted to be able to move freely about with everyone and everything frozen. Like Bart Simpson in the episode where he buys a time watch or Quicksilver from the X-Men
I am sure most people have had this dream, to go explore, to wreck havoc, to do what they want - when they want. But time can be a temptress like that. On occasion I still want time to be leaped ahead like forwarding a VHS to the best scenes.
I am eager to get to February 17 for my wedding. I want months to pass. Or when I was in college, any college - I went to enough - I was in courses and going to classes, mostly. But in those nights, I had the desire to be in the field I dreamed of, but did not want to have to go through my sophomore, junior, senior, and super senior year.
We all wish and dream away time. " If only Star Wars was coming out THIS week and not December."
Let me remind you of something. Dreams are wonderful, our futures can be bright and splendid. But we cannot leave the now for the temptation of the soon.
As wonderful it is to dream about future events, or plans, or people - there is nothing more important and certain than the present. The Bible even warns us about future plans.
Time is a temptress. It is something we want to control, usually want more of, or to be able to control. Growing up I always wanted to be able to freeze time, or slow it down to a super crawl.
I wanted to be able to move freely about with everyone and everything frozen. Like Bart Simpson in the episode where he buys a time watch or Quicksilver from the X-Men
I am sure most people have had this dream, to go explore, to wreck havoc, to do what they want - when they want. But time can be a temptress like that. On occasion I still want time to be leaped ahead like forwarding a VHS to the best scenes.
I am eager to get to February 17 for my wedding. I want months to pass. Or when I was in college, any college - I went to enough - I was in courses and going to classes, mostly. But in those nights, I had the desire to be in the field I dreamed of, but did not want to have to go through my sophomore, junior, senior, and super senior year.
We all wish and dream away time. " If only Star Wars was coming out THIS week and not December."
Let me remind you of something. Dreams are wonderful, our futures can be bright and splendid. But we cannot leave the now for the temptation of the soon.
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” 14 You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes. 15 Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it. James 4:13-17
The apostle James warns us about making up plans for the future. Plans about wedding stuff, children, jobs, the 2022 White Sox (they will win the championship), or even about future plans. It is a danger.
We never know what God has in-store for us. We hope that it will be the promotion, the big family, the big home in the suburbs with 2 children and 2 cats. But sometimes it is job loss, illness, death, having to buy a poodle.
While it is smart to hope for the things ahead, like our desires, or Heaven even. But we must realize and keep close to our heart - we are here for a reason. The special part of life's journey is the waiting and the journey itself.
but those who trust in the Lord
will renew their strength;
they will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary;
they will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
will renew their strength;
they will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary;
they will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
We are called to wait and trust. While it is not as fun as counting our future children's children, it is how life works.
Learn to appreciate the journey of life that time gives us.
Life may not always go as we planned. I had planned to be working full time for the Chicago Tribune covering the Chicago Bulls and writing witty articles while traveling with the team.
We cannot always trust or know the course of the Two Roads, as Robert Frost puts it - but God does. Enjoy each day. Every moment. And most importantly, Be Excellent to Each other.
Thank you for this reminder Nudey. See you in Glory one day.
Cheers and Excelsior!
Pastor Adam
