Thirteen years old and already looking on present life as though it were just a white blank – a break between paragraphs. Toys, dancing to demo music on Mum’s keyboard, and hiding shyly behind siblings at church… all so far back in time. And before me in the distance, entering the workforce, learning how to drive, and making friends… eventually – possibly – starting a serious relationship.
Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, and so on… the workforce is entered and friendships made, but these years are just more empty spaces on the calendar compared to the events that must be coming in the future.
Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three… things I wish I’d done or learned earlier, along with things I’d hoped would never happen in my lifetime, keep popping up to discourage me.
When I was younger, it sometimes felt like Time was constantly carrying me toward my destination: getting more mature and, therefore, more like Christ. As incredible as it seemed, I thought that Time was the main driving force. But I’ve grown to realise how much my attitude, work ethic, and many people’s words and prayers (the mostly unseen things) impacts Life. Take those things away and Time has nothing substantial to work with at all.
Truth is, Time, like the different tides, can appear to carry me away from my goals or toward them. But there is nothing passive about Life. Each day brings a new challenge: another 24 hours of navigating through the flotsam and jetsam and avoiding getting pulled along by the wrong currents. An ill-timed lapse of concentration can be disastrous.
There are no empty spaces. Moments of calm before the storm, seasons of resting and floating on gentle currents… but no empty spaces.
I can’t see what my future life here on earth is going to be like, and I’m actually glad that’s the case. The main driving force in my life is greater than Time… because Time is merely a servant obeying the Lord’s orders.
And I, too, will obey Him.
Liv'n'Hope 