Time

I had such a wonderful long weekend. It was full of visits with family and friends. One visit was with my grandparents (my Mom's parents). It is so wonderful to sit there and visit with my Mama and Pops, who love Mom, and know her as well as I do. They are the only ones that I can really go to and let the tears flow as freely as they want to. One thing that Mama and I discussed has really stuck with me since our visit. She said that people keep saying to her, "Aren't you so relieved that Sheryl isn't suffering anymore?" Duh, of course we are. I would never, ever wish that kind of suffering on anyone. She continued, "If you put all that aside, the fact is that she's my DAUGHTER." It's true. No one should have to bury their children. No one should have to be without their Mom at the age of 27, either. I should still have my Mom for another 50 years or so. I need her.

As long as the world is under the Curse, time will be my enemy. I can't stop the days. I can't turn back the clock. And I couldn't buy any more days together with her if I had all the money in the world.

Right after my Mom died, I stood there holding her hand. It made me sick to my stomach to see that her watch was still ticking. It wasn't fair. My whole world had come to a grinding halt, and yet time was still moving along. Time takes me further and further away from when I was with her last. The other day I went into her precious jewellery box. I was so relieved to see that her watch had finally stopped. I don't know when it happened, but it made me feel slightly better.

Praise God that time will not forever be my enemy. In fact, if I stop to put things in perspective, the thief that we call time begins to lose a bit of its sting already. It's true that while I am alive here on the Earth as it is now, time will continue to rob me. While blessings may come along the way, time will continue to take my loved ones and it will continue to decay my own body. The part that helps me, though, is knowing that this is just part of the eternal plan. I am not living an isolated life with nothing to hope for. Because I've accepted God's eternal gift of salvation, I am already living my eternity. My Mom's life is not over. She continues to exist in God's presence, and one day she will be resurrected along with the Earth. I, too, will continue to exist after I take my last breath in the here and now. God has so much more planned.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I don't know what the Lord has planned for me in the near future. I know the things that I desire, but I realize that God may have an entirely different plan for me. So often people read that verse with a very temporary mindset. They think that if God doesn't provide abundant blessings, financial help, or physical healing, that He has let them down. I, however, am working towards viewing my life through eternal lenses. Even if God were to choose to take everything away from me in the here and now, I would still have hope for a future. It's His promise to me. One day time will no longer be my enemy. God will restore time to its original purpose on the New Earth, once He has lifted the curse. Time will no longer be able to take anyone or anything from me. It will bring hope, prosperity, and a future that just keeps getting better and better.

Praise God for the gift of time as He intended it to be.