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The Gift of Time

Time is God's gift to us, and our gift to Him.

He appointed the moon for seasons;
The sun knows its going down.
You make darkness, and it is night,
In which all the beasts of the forest creep about.


  - Psalm 104.19, 20

The substance of those things, which are made by Him, began in Him before all the ages of the world, not in time but with times. Time, indeed, is made with all things that are made. It is neither made before them, nor is it preferable to them, but it is co-created with them.

  - Eriugena, Homily on John 1.1-14, Irish, 9th century[1]

What is time? In the secular worldview, time is merely the succession of moments flowing out of the past (since all time began at the “Big Bang”), through the present, and into oblivion.

In a very real sense, time is only the present moment. The past is gone and remains in memory only. The future is merely prospect – and from the “under the sun” perspective of secularism, that prospect is, well, bleak. The only time any of us has is the present moment.

Grab it before it’s gone.

The Christian has a different understanding of time. For the Christian, time is a gift from God, the succession of moments flowing immediately from the Word of God’s grace, through the present, and back to Him for eternal keeping.

He gives us time as a gift, and we offer it back to Him, moment by moment, every day of our lives.

God created everything into time, and He created time with everything else as the context in which everything exists. In that case, the cliché ways we refer to the time we are given each day tell us as much about our relationship with the Maker and Sustainer of time as with time itself: “wasting time,” “good times,” “hard times,” “the time of my life,” “not enough time,” and so forth. We know something about what such phrases mean with relationship to time, but what do they suggest about our relationship with the one in Whose hands all time rests?

It is significant that, in Ephesians 5.15-17, Paul did not say, “Make the most of your time” but “Make the most of the times.” Time is not ours, not really. Time is from the Lord and belongs to Him. Time exists above, around, beneath, and through us all, and it is kept in place, moment by moment, only by the will of Him Who, day by day, brings the light and makes the darkness.

Each moment of time is sustained by the Word of the Lord, Who upholds all things by His power (Col. 1.17; Heb. 1.3). The time you are taking to read these words is not your own; it belongs to Him Who makes and sustains it every moment of every day.

So, whether we “waste” the time or “make the most of it,” we are saying something about our regard for the Creator and Sustainer of time, and that at every moment, in every situation, no matter what we’re doing in the time allotted to us.

What will the moments of time that mark the passage of this day say about your love for the One Who opens His hands and gives you the gift of time, moment by moment, day by day?

Psalm 90.12-15 (Landas: “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place)
So teach us all our days to note that wisdom may be ours.
Return, O Lord, have mercy on those servants who are Yours.
Each morning let Your love appear that we for joy may sing.
And make us glad for every day You us affliction bring.

Lord, King of mysteries, You existed before creation and You are living forever still. Grant that I may serve You according to Your eternal purposes at all times. Adapted from Saltair na Rann, Canto I

For everything there is a time…

Think of time like the parable of the talents (Matt. 25.14-30). God gives it to us, expecting us to invest it for the purposes of love. Then our time, used and (hopefully) improved, returns to Him Who gave it. Where does the time of you life go? How can we make the most of our time if we’re not paying attention to what we’re actually doing with it? Here’s a challenge for you: Take a few days during the week to come to track every minute of your waking life. Jot down everything you do throughout the day. Then ask yourself: To what extent, and in what ways, was my time invested for loving God and my neighbors? If you’re up to this challenge, I’ll even send you a template you can use for the exercise. Write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and request the “Self-Watch Template.” I’ll send it back by email attachment.

We enjoy hearing from our readers the various ways our ministry is helping you in your walk with and work for the Lord. If this newsletter, or our website or resources, are important to you, please seek the Lord concerning whether or not you should support The Fellowship of Ailbe with your giving. God is moving many new people to join our support team. He is speaking to them, and they are responding in faith. It’s an exciting thing to watch! If you’d like to make a gift to The Fellowship, you can use the donate button here or at the website, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Dr., Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Psalms to Pray for Today, Saturday, and Sunday
Today
Morning: Psalm 119.113-120; Psalm 89
Evening: Psalm 15

Saturday
Morning: Psalm 119.121-128; Psalm 90
Evening: Psalm 16

Sunday
Morning: Psalm 119.129-136; Psalm 91
Evening: Psalm 17

T. M. Moore, Principal
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


[1]Bamford, p. 81.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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