Dancing with Time

 

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life.  They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.  “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God.  And those who listen will live.   John 5:24-25

I’m not much of a dancer (just ask my bride).  One of the things I do know about dancing is the unquestionable reality that the music does end…eventually...even in the mid part of the last century, when marathon dance contests were held to choose a winner (namely the last couple still standing upright after hours and even days) of “dancing”.  The record, according to Guinness set just 2 years ago is 126 hours.  One of the strategies for lasting that long is for the partners to take turns napping while the other holds him or her upright.  Dancing to outlast the clock is something of a fool’s errand; you can’t outlast time and eternity.

That is the nature of Jesus’ statement to his followers, the time is coming.  At some point, which God alone will determine, the clock switches from time TO eternity.  And that is when the judgment will be finalized.  That is where the other statement in this text becomes crucial.  Jesus said, “And those who listen will live”.  It is important to point out that the listening Jesus mentions does not begin when that moment of resurrection arrives; it (always) begins the first moment you hear the truth.  The time for salvation which is acceptable to God is always right now.

For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.”  Indeed, the “right time” is now.  Today is the day of salvation.      2 Corinthians 6:2

There are those who reject this idea, imagining (if God does exist) that it’s automatic; you just live your life the best you can, and then God makes everything ok.  There’s nothing to do, no limits on life, no requirements for after this life. 

Those people are wrong.  Most people who reject the idea that time will run out on ignoring God have never read much Scripture.  Had they done so it would become alarmingly clear that this matter of time is crucial.  Dancing with time is a contest, and, make no mistake, time always wins.  Listen to the Psalmist:

I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.  Psalm 119:60

When you look at a cemetery, you know that time runs out.  People are laid to rest in places like that.  And to be sure, you have no partner in the grave to hold you upright; people are always buried laying down….the dance is over!

But, according to Jesus, the “rest” is temporary.  There is coming a time when the clock will again run out on the usefulness of graves.  At that point, the only thing that will matter is what God thinks of your life while you were still breathing.

For You Today

The old question is still a good one, and hasn’t changed, and it is particularly important when we think about this dancing with time we’re doing:

What will you say when you stand before God, and He asks you

‘WHY SHOULD I LET YOU INTO MY HEAVEN’?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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Title image, Pixabay.com and    W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For another post on John 5 see:  You Will Rest; You Will Rise