I don’t know if you’re like me, but there’s something about those two nights each year when we “spring forward” and “fall back” that put me into a reflective state of mind. I admit, I’ve become a little less introspective in this digital world as smartphones, smartwatches, even smart appliances have taken over the job of clock adjustment. But I look back with some nostalgia over the years I spent roaming the house on those Saturday evenings, manually turning the clock hands forward or backward, tinkering with wristwatches, and resetting the digital alarms next to the bed before turning in for the night. There was always that sense of trepidation waking up on Sunday morning, wondering what time it actually was. Inevitably, ONE timepiece would be forgotten somewhere – the stove, the coffeemaker, the car – and you’d be left wondering if that single outlier was right and all the others were wrong, or vice versa. If you were a churchgoer before the days of smart technology, you can probably remember people walking into service extra early or extra late, often with a confused look on their faces, followed quickly by a dawning realization that, yes, they forgot to adjust their clocks. Maybe you were one of those people – no judgment here! You can probably imagine, though, how it might be more than a little awkward to make that mistake when you’re the pastor. I’m in no way speaking from personal experience, of course (wink wink)!
The thing about time-changes, though, is that they get you thinking about…well…time. Time defines us. It governs our every waking and sleeping hour. From the moment we’re born, we’re shaped by a 24-hour clock out of which we cultivate routines and rhythms. We judge ourselves – and others – by how that time is spent. It’s said that you can tell a lot about a person’s priorities by how they allocate their time. To quote Quaker and writer William Penn, “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.”
Time is a human construct. But one of the many awesome things about our God is this: He transcends human constructs.
So, why does that matter for you and me? Because as we organize schedules and juggle calendars and set alarms and try to keep up with the increasingly frenetic pace of this world, we frequently find ourselves filled with anxiety because of it. But God…God’s not anxious, because He’s not defined by time. He’s never early or late. He isn’t stressed over deadlines and bedtimes. He doesn’t keep business hours or close up shop on weekends and holidays.
Aren’t you glad we serve a God who isn’t watching the clock? I know I am! And I think He calls us to stop clock-watching, too – at least where our spiritual lives are concerned. Just look at the idea of Sabbath. I once heard it explained this way, and it’s stayed with me ever since: if Sabbath is truly observed as a day of rest, then you’re so restored by the end of it that it carries you through the first three days of the week, and so full of anticipation for it to cycle around again that it carries you through the last three days of the week.
When was the last time you felt so rejuvenated from a restful Sunday that come Wednesday afternoon at 3pm, you were still bouncing around the office with a skip in your step?! If that sounds like “heaven” to you, that’s because, in a way, it is. God invites us to trade our temporal routines for His eternal rhythms. Rest, not stress, is a vital part of His design for our lives – because only when we rest in His presence do we quiet our souls long enough to hear His voice speaking to us.
This weekend, as you prepare for the time-change of the clocks, consider preparing your spirit for a time-change of its own. Spend some time with Jesus. Lay your burdens at His feet. Allow your heart to be reset and renewed in His presence. As we “spring forward” into longer days and shorter nights, resist the urge to do more and rest less. Instead, commit to making His rest a more vital part of your life.
And…if you should miss adjusting a clock or two, know that the Lord will still show up to meet you — no matter what time it is!
