Finding The Secret

More Than Conquerors
February 2004 Part 2

Time and Timelessness

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” —2 Peter 3:8-14

We tend to think in terms of seconds, minutes, and days. We think ahead to the next week, maybe, but tend to focus mostly on what is happening this very second. God, on the other hand, is not defined by our thoughts of time. He usually unfolds His will in months, years, centuries, and even millenniums. But we, finite people, when we talk to God, tend to want Him to work in our time, expecting Him to answer our prayers the very second we speak them. But God is not bound by time, and He answers our prayers in His timing, not ours.

But we still live by seconds, even though God is not defined by them. And He gave us seconds to serve Him. If we cannot learn to serve Him in the second that we are living in, we cannot expect to be able to serve Him the whole year, or our whole lifetime. We have to take each moment we’ve been given and use it for Him.

What we need is this: a patience that is defined by years, and a faith that is defined by seconds. We need to wait on God to move in His time, but meanwhile living every microsecond of our life for Him.

Cascading Towards Infinity

A tumble over mountain heights,
A fall and splash, a roaring crash!
Cascading towards infinity,
Our lives sweep past by days and nights—

The clock has struck another hour,
Another ledge, swept past the edge!
A path in life now lost forever,
We’re driven by gravity’s power!

As time cascades, oh Lord, I pray,
May I become a light for some,
So life does not cascade in vain,
But drives me to a better day!

—Benjamin Graber

Have you ever tried to grasp time
In the palm of your hand?
Or used your fingertips to
Hold a tiny grain of sand?

Have you smelt the
Fleeting aroma of pine?
Seen dandelion seeds
Will-o-wisp design?

Lord, help me to live every minute
Waiting on and living my life for You.
Our time is precious, our time is Yours.
Thank you for everything You give and do!

—Terra Mandrell
© Terra Mandrell. Used with permission.

Day’s End

Another day is closing.
Time’s Hourglass is spent.
Evening’s drawing nigh upon
This day our Father lent.

Spent we time with Father,
Communing with sweet intimacy,
List’ning for that still small voice ~
Gently guiding you and me?

Did we reach out to others,
Sharing ~ Caring ~ Giving;
Love that speaks a thousand tongues,
Offences soon forgiving?

Did we spend the Sands of Time
In idle occupation
Or build a bridge of friendship,
Reaching to another nation?

Did we help a stranger
Their precious dream unfold,
Share the music of their soul
Or leave their story yet untold?

Did we share compassion’s touch
With that one who feels alone
Because they face an empty chair
Of that loved one who is gone?

Did we do our very best
Or have we deep regrets?
Did we leave our heartprints
With those life oft’ too soon forgets?

Another day is ending.
Was it spent unselfishly?
Father, help us to remember
To share the LOVE of Thee !

It’s been quite a long day—
And I’m tired again—
I am wearily dragging,
Like I always am—

I’ve been doing so much—
So much that I’m aching—
But I’m annoyed again,
With all this time that I’m taking—

I’m using my hours—
Throwing minutes away—
Running too wild to question
What I’ve done today—

Has anything I’ve done
Touched a heart for You?
If not, what have I done,
If none of it showed You?

—Joanna Spencer
© Joanna J. Spencer. Used with permission.

Tomorrow

My tomorrow is but a flitting
Fancy of the brain;
God’s tomorrow is an angel sitting,
Ready for joy or pain.

My tomorrow has no soul,
Dead as yesterdays;
God’s—a brimming silver bowl
Of life that gleams and plays.

My tomorrow, I mock you away!
Shadowless nothing, thou!
God’s tomorrow, come, dear day,
For God is in thee now.

—George MacDonald

Epoch

When I was very young,
I learned so many things.
Like: “Keep clean, hold your tongue...”
(What joy memory brings!)

Those treasured moments passed;
I started school and learned.
A new stage came at last.
My place at home I earned.

Responsibilities!...
Those lessons afflicting
Taught work is done with ease,
When with less bickering.

Still older I’ve become,
And seen some of the world.
I’ve tried things, quite a sum,
Like growing out my curls.

What foolishness that I
Have entertained sometimes!
Some times I’d have lost my life,
Thought not Grace otherwise.

I’ve traveled through the air
And seen new sites of Earth,
Enjoyed sensations rare
And oft rethought my worth.

My life takes new turns still;
That’s what I want to say....
For my life, though, God’s will
Is e’er my help and stay.

My God has time and space
In His complete control.
Matter can be defaced
To fit His purposed role.

So trust this God always:
He works all out for good
To those that love His ways
And trust Him as they should.

—Samuel Popiel

The Big Picture

Focus on the path before you,
Not the trials you travel through;
He who looks not up ahead
Misses life and joins the dead.

He who looks at dirt below
Often misses paths to go;
Blessings swiftly pass him by—
On the stones he casts his eye.

Missing immortality,
Caught in his reality—
Won’t look up and see true life,
But looks down at cares and strife.

Gazing at the specks of ink
And not taking time to think,
He can’t read the words God’s spoken,
So his heart is nearly broken—

If God’s plan we understand,
Focused not on stones and sand,
And if we will see the whole
What a joy will fill our soul!

—Daniel Fenstemaker and Benjamin Graber

Where Will I Be?

My dear Lord, where shall I be—
Ten years from now?
Where will You have me—
Ten years from now?

Where will I be serving—
Ten years from now?
What will I be learning—
Ten years from now?

What heavy loads will burden my back—
Ten years from now?
What character qualities will I still lack—
Ten years from now?

What things will be in my heart—
Ten years from now?
Of Your will, will I be doing my part—
Ten years from now?

Will I live the life of Christ—
Ten years from now?
Will I reflect Jesus in my life—
Ten years from now?

Will I be a doer of the Word—
Ten years from now?
Will I be constantly serving my Lord—
Ten years from now?

Will I be consistently seeking You—
Ten years from now?
Will I be doing the things I’m supposed to do—
Ten years from now?

Will I be happy where You place me—
Ten years from now?
My dear Lord, where shall I be—
Ten years from now?

—Terra Mandrell
© Terra Mandrell. Used with permission.

Now

Now is tomorrow—
Now is forever—
Now is eternity
All spent together—

And now is just nothing—
If I truly believe
That it’s so very sure
That You’re where I’ll be—

So now is whenever—
Now is today—
Now is a joy
Of Heaven and grace—

—Joanna Spencer
© Joanna J. Spencer. Used with permission.

Redeeming The Time

My life’s too short to waste my time reliving past mistakes,
Remembering the times I’ve failed--my sorrows and heartaches,
I trust I won’t forget my Savior died so I might live,
And since He has forgiven me, I must myself forgive.

I haven’t time to spend my days in selfishness and pride,
My focus only on myself, with others shut outside,
While pushing hard to get ahead, with kindness seldom shown,
And rarely stopping to give thanks for blessings I have known.

I can’t afford to hold a grudge against a one-time friend,
And not do all within my power the lack of love to end,
I want to live in harmony, in fellowship and peace,
So bitterness, and spiteful words, and hurtful deeds will cease.

And when the Lord shall call me home at setting of the sun,
I hope that I won’t feel regret for things I’ve left undone.
But that I’ll treat the ones I love with patient courtesy,
And try to show, by word and deed, how much they mean to me.

When others hurt, I want to help with diligence and grace,
And do my very best to make the world a better place.
For each day is a gift that has been given from above,
And anything is possible when hearts are full of love.

© by Betty Jo Mings
Used with permission.
http://www.bettyjomings.truepath.com

Drops in God’s Watering Can

A watering can, simple and sweet
Sits on the ground, down by my feet.

The outside glistens with tiny drops of dew—
Much more than just one or two.

The handle is solid and strong
Firm to grasp and carry ’long.

My watering can is cheerful and merry,
Happy like a bright yellow singing canary.

The water inside is filled to the brim—
Nearly overflowing from moisture within.

This is how we must be too—
Do you understand or shall I review?

Friends, I encourage you—this is how we must be!
Simple and sweet, joyful and cheery.

Glistening with the dew of our Savior
Spreading His light with the goodness of our behavior!

Cheerful and merry, a face of glad contentment bear.
Overflowing with His righteousness, and always in prayer.

For we are the drops in God’s watering can
That He pours out in His good and perfect plan.

A shining beacon, simple and sweet—
This is how I wish to be seen!

Friends, please seek and follow God’s flawless plan
For we are the drops in God’s watering can!

Let Patience Have Her Perfect Work

I saw a bird alone,
In its nest it sat alone,
For its mate was dead or flown
Though it was early spring.
Hard by were buds half blown,
With cornfields freshly sown;
It could only perch and moan
That used to sing:
Droop in sorrow left alone
A sad sad thing.

I saw a star alone,
In blue heaven it hung alone,
A solitary throne
In the waste of space:
Where no moon glories are,
Where not a second star
Beams through night from near or far
To that lone place.
Its beauties all unknown,
Its glories all alone
Sad in heaven’s face.

Doth the bird desire a mate,
Pine for a second mate
Whose first joy was so great
With its own dove?
Doth the star supreme in night
Desire a second light
To make it seem less bright
In the shrine of heavenly height
That is above?—
Ah, better wait alone,
In nest or heaven alone,
Forsaken or unknown;
Till time being past and gone
Full eternity rolls on,
While patience reaps what it has sown
In the harvest land of love.

—Christina Rossetti

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or
nakedness or danger or sword?… No, in all these things
we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
—Romans 8:35, 37

If you have any comments or questions, or if you have a poem to share, please send an e-mail to bgraber@neo.rr.com

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