What Time Is It?

Timepieces are not my friends. Every watch I have ever had ends up running too fast or too slow or stopping altogether. Even the clocks on my phone and my tablet will seemingly speed up or slow down at will. Currently my watch is running thirty minutes behind. So it’s no surprise that before every worship service I have to ask someone, “What time is it? Is it time to begin?”

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, assumes that they know what time it is-not by measuring chronological hours or days or even years-but by waking up to kairos, God’s opportune time. God is bringing things to a head, Paul says, and those who believe in Jesus Christ need to wake up to what God is doing, “For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers.” (Romans 13:11)

This is the last day of the Christian year; tomorrow Advent begins. It is a good day to consider how to better align our lives with the purpose and character of Christ so that we’ll be ready to participate in what God is doing in our world. Is it our time to begin?

God of all time, wake us up to your salvation coming near. Amen. — CST