Category Archives: Redeeming_Time

>When Living in the Moment may Distract you from Living for the Eternal

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It has been some years now that with the help of the Lord, I have been learning how to live fully every day, every minute. I remember when my children were little and we were in that season of our lives when we ran all day to all those extra classes. We used to live under the pressure of the clock, the constant tic-tac that steals away moments of joy.

But living in the moment, enjoying the minutes, living fully each one of them, is not necessarily a godly thing to do. Actually, it may keep us from seeing beyond the minute and into eternity.

When our children were little I had to teach them about time, time-lines were hanging all over our walls, and we had to teach them about the calendar, the months, days, hours, minutes. Now they are older and we must teach them to live with their eyes fixed on what is not in that time-line. We are teaching them that what matters the most is not the moment, per se, but eternity.

Before I keep on going, please don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe that how we live every minute counts. I believe that our lives are made of minutes, and for the life we live in that sequence of minutes we will give an account to God.

But when we live only with eyes for the moment, we may find ourselves believing that we are the main character in God’s story.

Remember Martha and Mary and how they responded when their brother Lazarus was ill and then died (John 11 please read it all.). They were living in the moment, and for a moment they thought that because they were Jesus’ friends, and Jesus loved their brother, they were the main character in the story and Jesus had to come and help them. But Jesus didn’t live for the moment, He lived with His eyes fixed on eternity, on his Heavenly Father; He says on verse 4:

“This illness does not lead to death, It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it”

Having this goal in mind “when he, {Jesus}, heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was”. 

Michael Horton says,

“In terms of the unfolding plot, Lazarus is a character in Jesus’ story, not vice versa. The glorification of the Son as the Messiah is the real “show” here, as was the case with all of the miracles. They are signs, not ends in themselves.”

“Lazarus had to die in order for the greater miracle to occur. There is something more important than the healing of his friend. Jesus knew the great work he would accomplish in the power of the Spirit when he came finally to Bethany. It is like Elijah pouring water on the fire pit, just to make sure God’s glorious power will be obvious. As the greater Elijah, Jesus was engaged in a cosmic contest between Yahweh and the serpent. That was the larger story behind all these other stories. “

How many times do we live “in the moment”, forgetting that each one of those moments, good or bad, are not an end on themselves? All those moments are part of a larger story that has not been unveiled before our eyes, a story that ultimately will bring glory to our Triune God. He is the main character of the story.

When I give thanks for the little things that make up my day, when I see a beautiful sunset, or beautiful bees playing in a fountain; when I see my sister carrying a baby in her womb, and my son coming from behind to kiss me; when I see how my husband loves me every minute, and how blessed I am to have a full pantry, I need to raise my eyes and look beyond the moment, beyond the time-line and remind myself that all these blessings come to me, not because I am the main character, but because in all these, God will be glorified. It all happens “so that the Son of God may be glorified through it”.

And the same is true, when the moments we are going through are more like those moments that Martha and Mary went through, moments of confusion, pain, uncertainty. When we expect Jesus  to come because He is our Lord, our Saviour, our friend, and He doesn’t and we don’t know what to think. Let us keep in mind, sisters, that those moments are only part of a whole story that is beyond our sight, beyond our minutes. Those moments are part of God’s grand plan to bring all things subject to Him, and to bring glory to His name. We are not the main character. Our moments, our times are in His hand.

Under His sun and by His grace,

Becky

>New Year’s Prayers 2011

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O LORD,

Length of says do not profit me except the days are passed
in thy presence, 
in thy service,
to thy glory.
Give me a grace that precedes,
follows,
guides,
sustains,
sanctifies,
aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart fro Thee,
but may rely on thy Spirit
to supply every thought,
speak in every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every note of faith,
and give me a desire
to show forth thy praise,
testify thy love,
advance thy kingdom.
I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with Thee, O Father, as my harbour,
thee, O Son, at my helm,
thee, O Holy spirit, filling my sails.
Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.
Give me thy grace to sanctify me,
thy comforts to cheer,
thy wisdom to teach,
thy right hand to guide,
thy counsel to instruct,
thy law to judge,
thy presence to stabilize.
May thy fear be my awe,
thy triumphs my joy.
The Valley of Vision
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A Prayer About the New Year and the Gospel

“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:14-15

     Gracious Father, as I sit in my favorite “perch”, sipping fresh coffee and watching flames dance in the fireplace, it’s early into the first day of a new year. 
Tons of confetti cover the streets of Manhattan and gratitude fills my heart.
     I’m thankful I’m beginning this year with a little better understanding of the gospel than I had last year… and the previous years. 
I’m already praying that I’ll be able to say the same thing this time next year. 
For the gospel is not just good news for people getting ready to die. 
It’s good news for people who are now ready to live.
     In the gospel you lavish us with your love, liberate us by your grace and launch us into your transforming story of redemption and restoration. 
What more could we possibly want or hope for, in life or in death?
     Because the gospel is true, I don’t respond to Joshua’s bold charge with a list of New Year’s resolutions—promises of what I’m going to do for you. Rather, I begin this year resolving to abandon myself to everything Jesus has done for us. Jesus is the promise keeper, not us. He’s the one who has promised to make all things new, including me.
     Father, that’s why serving you is much more than merely “desirable,” it’s the greatest privilege conceivable and the purest delight imaginable. 
For Jesus is our Joshua—the one has saved us… is saving us… and one Day will completely save us. Without any embarrassment or fear of cliché, I gladly affirm, JESUS SAVES. 
What other savior died for us that we might find life in him?
What other god sacrificially serves us that we might gratefully serve him?
     Because of the gospel, throwing away my idols feels less like a painful sacrifice and more like a liberating dance. 
For all my “empty nothings” have ever given me is momentary pleasure and lasting regrets. 
Remind me of this all year long when I lose “gospel-sanity,” and am tempted to think otherwise.
     Father, may this be a year of considering our lives worth nothing to us, if only we may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given us—the task of testifying (by word and deed) to the gospel of your grace (Acts 20:24). 
So very Amen, we pray, in Jesus’ name, with great anticipation and much thanksgiving.

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>New Year’s Name, "Living in the Sacred"

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I did this last year for the first time; I gave the year a name. I walked through 365 days thinking of the name of the year, its theme, “Yes, I am Listening”, and how much I learned from it! How many times I came into my prayer closet asking my God to help me. In order to listen I had to learn, to practice being quiet; in order to say yes to others, I had to say no to my own desires more than often.

This year again, after praying and thinking, and talking with my husband; I have decided to do it again. This practice has worked for me much better than writing “New Year’s Resolutions”.  So here it is, my new year ‘s name (or theme):

Living in the Sacred

The last chapter on the book The Holiness of God by RC Sproul was decisive for me into choosing this theme (actually the whole book was!) I need to live purposely, knowing that  because of Jesus, I live in Holy Space and Holy Time, every day, every moment; I am living naked before a Holy God.

C.S Lewis said,

“Where, except in the present, can the Eternal be met?”

I want to live fully aware of this truth. Whatever I do, I want to do it for Him, because of Him, to bring glory to Him. I want to meet Him in my daily journey through continuous prayer; I long to live praying without ceasing (I Thessalonian 5:17)

This is a year in which we are expecting many big changes in our family, changes that will certainly make us grow. The only way I will be able to walk through them glorifying God and not being anxious is knowing that I am living in the Sacred. He has written our life’s story. He is the Author. He holds me and my family in His hand. Our times are indeed in His hand. I don’t want to miss this awareness.

Living in the Sacred, means living before God in prayer.

J.R Miller says,

“Think what it would mean to have every word that passes our lips winged and blessed with prayer—always to breathe a little prayer before we speak, as we speak. This would put heavenly sweetness into all our speech! It would make all our words kindly, loving, inspiring words—words that would edify and minister grace to those who hear.”

“Think of a woman amid her household cares—taking everything to God for His blessing, for His approval, for His direction. These are not by any means impossible suppositions. Indeed, this is the way a Christian is to live, should always live—doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus!”

This is what I long for this year; to Live in the Sacred; to live breathing out prayers.

May God help me.

Living in the Sacred… What it means? A Reflection on Psalm 63, A desire to be in the Holy Place.

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Related Posts Around the Corner:

Thoughts for Wives

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A friend of mine just posted this on her fb profile:

“I had to make that step (leaving fb) to get my priorities straight and to spend more time with my hubby who was going to bed alone too much lately….while I was on facebook…..ouch!…”

And Jamie also reminded us of this when she says,

“Because I remember as a young, engaged woman the anticipation that I felt, knowing that one day soon I would be able to go to bed with the man I loved each night and wake up with him each morning.  Oh, how I looked forward to that!  I dreamed of the intimate conversations we’d have, heads on our pillows, smiling and laughing as we reminisced about the day’s happenings.  I could hardly wait for those evenings!

And so, still today (nearly 11 years later!), I try to continue to fan that same flame and look forward to our quiet time together in the evenings…We spend a few solo minutes reading a chapter in a book or checking emails, maybe posting a quick note to the blog or facebook, but then I remember…

We need our special “pillow talk” time together.  And I still look forward to going to bed with the man I love every night and waking up with him each morning!”

 I have to say that lately I have been guilty of this, either checking my fb or writing a post is robbing me of this special “pillow talk” with the one I love.

So here I am,  following the example of other godly women, I will not be checking my fb at nights and I will journal here just as time permits.

My priorities should be straight at all times, and in doing so, I glorify my God, and honor my man.

An invitation, if you know someone who speaks Spanish, please refer them to our Spanish blog, Delicias A Tu Diestra Para Siempre, we (my sister and I) are posting an important series on what it means to be a modest woman.

P.S. Just in case you are wondering why I chose such a picture on this post, let me tell you…  I used this picture because it reminds of a time my husband and I spent together, and because I needed to remind myself that I  must build bridges of love between us.

Time Flies…Does it Really?

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Time flies… everyone says so, but does it really? or is it just us using that phrase as an excuse not to live doing what we should be doing?

Days have always had twenty-four hours; and even now our days really last more because of electricity. We have light even before the sun comes up and light even after the sun goes down.

Our calendars still have twelve pages, and the hours we live are still made of sixty minutes.

We say “time flies…” when?

When we see our children growing older…and we wish we could hold them more, we wish we had played more with them.

We say such phrase, when we see areas of our lives we have been wanting to change and have not done anything practical to bring that change.

When we see our marriage, and wish we had not sleep through so many nights…

We say “times flies…” when we live for the calendar, instead of using the calendar as a tool in our lives.

I wrote about redeeming the time, (in October, 2009), and that day after clicking “publish”, I resolved not to live in a rush, but to live slowly. To purposely live each day of my life for God. And He has helped my heart which is always prone to move, to slow down.

This slowing down for God’s glory means that some changes had to take place… but it has been worth every one of them. I have not heard myself saying, “time flies”…rather, I have found myself saying “I have not made the best use of my time today to glorify God where I am” 



Some changes I have made so far are these…(with some I still struggle…my heart is so quick to move!)

1. Do not say to my children “Hurry Up!”… that is exactly what I do not want them to do, I do not want them to hurry up…

2. Cut off some extra classes…and yes we have survived without them!

3.  If we are going late, I take a deep breath, and remember number one… This particular moment is not the best one to instruct about the importance of being on time.

4.  I use the calendar, but do not let the calendar rule over my life.

5. Being a family of six (Amy, I know that is not a big number to you) and having all sorts of online classes, trips, meetings, friend visiting, etc… I try to remind my children not to live longing for what is yet to come, but to enjoy the day we are living in. This day will never come back again.

6. Make the most of every moment. Do not complain about God’s given plan for you today. Enjoy cooking, enjoy setting a beautiful table, enjoy the conversation after dinner even if that means that your little one will skip a bath that day!  Leave your books  (or computer) on the side as you listen to your husband’s heartbeat. Stay up late on the side of your teen age children’s bed to listen to him. Take time to read a book out loud. Sing. Smile. Be quiet.

7. And this one I am still learning to do…setting aside what I love to do for the sake of the ones I love.
Less time for me, most of the time means, more time to be able to hold my dear ones closer to my heart.

8. Live with the calendar hanging on the wall and a timeline on your classroom wall, but keep in mind that calendars and timelines frame the time in which we are just like vapour… let us live with our eyes set on eternity.

“As adults who have learned the concept of time, timelines, and references to past, present and future, we sometimes need to rather unlearn the natural in order to fully appreciate the supernatural; in this case, eternity.

Jon J. Cardwell

As I wake up every day I remind my soul of this Bible verse:

“This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 118: 24

I will not let time fly away, I will not let it escape (tempus fugit); I will live it purposely  and wisely for my God.

“Fit me to be totally resigned to the denial of pleasures I desire,
            and to be content to spend my time with Thee.
Fit me to pray with a sense of the joy of divine communion,
            to find all times happy seasons to my soul,
            to see my own nothingness,
            and wonder that I am allowed to serve Thee.”


The Valley of Vision

Great resources that say it better than I:
The Precious Importance of Time (And the Importance of Redeeming it) by Jonathan Edwards.
Time’s Shortness by Thomas Watson (1676)
What is the best way to spend your leisure time? Charles Spurgeon’s response.

“Try to count  blessings instead of minutes”

Ann Voskamp

Related posts from the former blog:
Don’t Rush, Take Time!
Redeeming the Time. 

Thank you, Ivonne, for setting my mind into thinking about this, again!