“Time is the school in which we learn, Time is the fire in which we burn.”
– Last two lines of “Calmly We Walk Through This April’s Day” by Delmore Schwartz

In the Movie “Star Trek – Generations”, Dr. Soran alludes to this poem from the 1930′s in telling the captain that time is a predator, that death stalks us all, no one can escape it. He paints time as something that runs too quickly, is gone before you know it.

I have felt that way, this week in fact. Maybe you have felt time slip by, wondered where the time has gone, felt the loss of moments wasted or opportunities missed or selfishly spent.

However, Schwartz wasn’t complaining about the loss of time, or stressing over how quickly it passes as we quickly move inevitably toward death. As much as each moment is only given to us once and cannot be repeated, each moment of our past is also a teacher for our now. ‘Time is the school in which we learn.’  No moment past needs to be time lost if we have learned, if we have weathered the storm or have grown in hope, or faith, or love.

The fire that burns us need not consume us. The death that approaches need not make us fear. Because we have a teacher that uses time to refine us rather than destroy us. We have a savior that used death to give us life eternal.

“Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,”
– Hebrews 5:8-9

As ambassadors of Christ, we need not be perfect in control of time, we need only be faithful to His calling, available to do His bidding, and teachable by His Spirit. And He WILL redeem our time, He will make our path through this world straight to His open arms. And may He cause other to follow in our wake.

Keep yourselves from idols,
Pastor Rob

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  – Ephesians 5:15-21