Time is Treasure

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In my last post about work in the flesh versus work in Jesus’ energy, you responded beautifully to my dilemma and Christ’s solution.  So I wanted to write a little about this issue of time.

I love to study physics, especially quantum physics (the study of the miniscule).  Just like nature, it’s full of mystery and revelation of God.

Physics says time varies according to the person: their activity and perspective. That fact is difficult because the clock IS rigid.

Henry Van Dyke understood it perfectly:

Time is too slow for those who wait,
too swift for those who fear,
too long for those who grieve,
too short for those who rejoice,
but for those who love,
time is eternity. 

As for time, somewhere along the way I believed that there was not enough time for what needed to be done. Time is precious to me and time is treasure. I love to work and write and live and learn and go. I also love relationships with fascinating people – and everyone is. Plus I have some 29 books in me!  I take heart from those who began to write in their 80s! Must I wait that long, Lord?

All that living must be squeezed into the clock on the wall and the watch on my wrist. I have confessed this as the sin of unbelief.  Since God is perfect AND extravagant, I know that we have all the time we need for destiny. But logically (that’s the bad word) it seems I am always behind the eight ball – whatever that means.

Life must be pressed into a 24-hour day that in my rigid view of time is completely insufficient. Every 24-hour day should contain 48 hours!  And I am always looking at the mountain I must move and calculating how many hundred hours it will take. Then I just want to sit down and watch the news. Why begin?

On the other hand, I can waste huge globs of time and then have no time for the important. Do you know the little booklet, “The Tyranny of the Urgent?”

The ideas I have mentioned here are the ways and thoughts of the flesh concerning time.  God’s thoughts on time are above my thoughts on time. His ways to move outside of time are better than my ways to waste within time.

Years ago, a dear friend saw me pour time into someone who had no intention of change or growth, much less obedience. She said to me, “Martha, you are not giving away your time, you are squandering your life. Your time IS your life!”  How wise!

I had never thought of life as measured by our use of time. That makes it even more valuable. It put the issue of time into a different place of importance. The Lord has said to me, “Go where there is fruit.”  But He also pours us out as crushed grapes and broken bread where it seems to be an utter waste.

The issue is…my time is His time.

Time being life, then time is a treasure that belongs to the Lord for His purposes.  My life is His, my time He owns.

As in all things, what God owns He protects, what God controls He enhances. And what is given to Him becomes sanctified, ‘made holy.’ So with time.

And as I give over the days to Him, I discover that my nurturing Father is much wiser and more generous with my hours than I am.  He is aware of my need for different times and seasons. He gives rest, He calls for change, He interrupts with joys and diversions.  He is the brilliant, perfect manager of time…so long as He holds the clock!

Mark 6:31 AMP
And [Jesus] said to them, ‘[As for you] come away by yourselves to a deserted place, and rest a while’—for many were [continually] coming and going, and they had not even leisure enough to eat.

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LA
8 years ago

‘And I am always looking at the mountain I must move and calculating how many hundred hours it will take. Then I just want to sit down and watch the news. Why begin?’ Today I asked God why I was having to wrestle with this very issue, since it would SEEM I have so much time! How easily the Message of the Month (dealing with organizing our day and prayer life) has already begun to slip away. And it is a battle for me to take ‘charge, not control’ of the life He has given. Well I put aside my… Read more »

Annalie du Toit
8 years ago

Oh Martha, what a beautifully in season word for me. I am exactly here in the school with Holy Spirit!
Your words are just wonderfully sweet and pure.
Love!

sue
8 years ago

As John says introducng the podcast: and I am praying, “May this become a living impartation to
my life”and may the LORD grant you the time, energy and “LIFE” to get those 29 books in ink on paper!!!!!

Pauline
8 years ago

Thank you, Martha! I saw a clock some time ago with this inscription in the center:
God is timeless
Trust Him with your time

Paul
8 years ago

Indeed Susan, ditto Irene and Sam! 🙂

Sam
8 years ago
Reply to  Paul

Ditto Paul! 🙂

Paul
8 years ago

Martha, like your last post on “WORK”, this one on TIME is also a treasure trove of truth! I had to read it 3 times to begin to glean all the richness that it contains! Getting a Kingdom mindset concerning work and time is transformative! Thank you for sharing such rich revelation!

Susan
8 years ago

What a great word about time Martha!… and mammon and strength and talents and…
Ditto Irene and Sam

Irene
8 years ago

Oh Martha what precious thoughts about time. To see each minute as a gift from Him and to do with it as He leads has been true freedom for me , (one who delights in schedules and plans and countless “To Do” lists.) I have been walking in Matt. 11:28-30 for quite a while now and The Tyranny of The Urgent is no longer the “story of my life”. Yesterday, I had lunch with a dear sister in Jesus who treasures your ministry as I do. We talked about how you have taught us to love Jesus as our number… Read more »

Sam
8 years ago

Oh, thank you. What a wise and quiet word. As in all things, what God owns He protects, what God controls He enhances. And what is given to Him becomes sanctified, ‘made holy.’ So with time. As a side note, I never thought M. would love to study quantum physics (the essence of what exists). Wow. 🙂 Jeanne Guyon would say that one of the main issues is ownership. Our propietary ideas about life really drag us out of the way. If we would just live in the Word…: “the earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord” (The… Read more »