Did you ever want to stop the clock, turn the hands back, or move them forward? When you're way late, what if you could get two hours back or at least stop the clock for a while! You're losing by two touchdowns with one minute left in the fourth quarter. What if you could change the clock to one minute left in the third quarter! Then you'd have a chance. Your kids are sixteen and fourteen. They're rebellious and distant from you. You wish you would have spent much more time with them over the years, but you can't turn back the clock. You have six stressful years to work before you can retire. What if you could move up the clock! However, time is relentless and merciless. We can't stop it, slow it, or accelerate it. When it is time, certain things will happen, but not until then, and we can't do a thing about it.
However, Jesus is Lord of time. He rolls back the clock so we can receive the saving grace of His death and resurrection. The time of Jesus' final coming and the end of time can be "hastened" by our lives of holiness (see 2 Pt 3:12). Then the clock will stop forever. Time will pass away. Those who have not accepted Jesus as Lord of their time and lives "will go off to eternal punishment and the just to eternal life" (Mt 25:46; see also Rm 2:6-8; 2 Thes 1:9). Thus, eternity (i.e., no time) will free those in Jesus from the tyranny of time and impose an even worse tyranny of doom on those who have not given themselves to Christ. It's time to come to Jesus.
| PRAYER: | Father, may I use this present time to prepare for the timelessness of eternity. |
| PROMISE: | " 'Who do you say that I am?' He asked them. Peter said in reply, 'The Messiah of God.' " –Lk 9:20 |
| PRAISE: | Sts. Cosmas and Damian, brothers and physicians, imitated Jesus, the Divine Physician (Lk 4:23), by travelling throughout the land, healing people free of charge, and converting them to belief in the Lord. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College