SENSE OF TIME

It seems we more and more have less and less of a sense of time, of plan, of objective, but we rather seem to float along from one instant situation to the next, from one pay check to the next, from one fast-food to the next. Time is only for the moment with little instinct for the future and little interest in the past. Of course, in the most real way, today is the only time we have, but without scope and vision of past and future we have scant perspective of the wholeness and completeness of our existence.

A long-range plan is not next Friday when this is Monday and remembering the past is not just looking back to last Friday. We need our history to have a sense of rootedness and stability and we need our future for a sense of faith, planning, development and execution. Living only for today is living in a bottle bobbing in the ocean and hoping someone finds us.

With our history compelling us and our faith inspiring us; we should become very active in plans, dreams, and hopes for the future. Sure, we will miss it, blow it, screw up, drop it, lose it, find it; yet at least we are after it. When asked, “What’s your plan?” “Whatever” is not the right answer. Meister Eckhart (1260-1328) wrote, “The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of making a mistake.” Getting fully engaged in our life is our personal responsibility. Though others may inspire and encourage, it is still up to us. Sure we plan for the weekend, but planning for six months, a year or five years is also worth the effort. Paul, an apostle, wrote to Timothy, “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.” (1 Timothy 6:18)

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring it’s own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Jesus