August 1st…This is a day of great joy for me and a couple of my friends. For one of them, it’s her birthday. For another, it’s her wedding anniversary. Two years ago, I was one of her bridesmaids…It was such a beautiful day that I will never forget.
I am also remembering, reflecting another event synonymous with today. August 1st, 2007…I still remember the day as if it were yesterday. 13 people died when the 35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed. I still can’t believe that it happened. Seeing the pictures from the collapse were so surreal. I think every time I go over a long stretch of bridge I think about it.
I ended up working the late shift at my previous job, so I was there until 7pm. Originally, I was to meet a friend from seminary for dinner in Minneapolis. But, we had a miscommunication, so I switched shifts with someone, so my coworker could work and leave earlier. My regular shift was 7:30am-4pm, and the time we would’ve met for dinner would have put me in the 35W bridge area at the time of the collapse. I worked in Shoreview, and that was the route I would take from Shoreview to Minneapolis.
When I heard about the collapse, the call center was eerily silent. When my shift was done, I was trying to call everyone I knew who may have been in that area. Cell phones weren’t working properly, because everyone was trying to call their loved ones.
We called my sister Char’s work, her home…We hadn’t heard from her. Her coworkers said she was there that day. We were getting worried. And we wouldn’t hear from her for another day. Finally, when she did call us, we found out that she hadn’t been at work. She was home sick and sleeping a lot. She didn’t even know about the bridge collapse. Thankfully, she was safe.
I still get chills once in a while when I think I could’ve been there. It never ceases to amaze how one decision can change the course of events. “What if”…We can’t worry about the “what ifs” and “should have,” “would have,” and “could haves”…We make the best choices at the time of the decision. Even when we don’t make a decision, we, in fact, make a decision. My thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones, family, and friends of those who died four years ago today. May God bring comfort and give peace to those who mourn. Why do things like this happen to good people? I don’t have the answer for that…But, we are all in this life together, so may we walk with each other on this journey through the pain and the sadness, until one day the mountaintop may be reached.
A few months after the bridge collapse, I wrote a sermon about time and timing…Time truly is precious and need not be wasted. I mentioned my experience with the bridge collapse. I think this was the fourth sermon I had ever written. It is interesting to look back and see where I was at in my journey at that time. If you are interested, please take the time to read it, which is found below. May God bless you and may you be a blessing to others.
~ Caroline
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
August 1st, 2007…I was going to meet a friend of mine from Seminary for dinner. She lived in Minneapolis, and I have met her for bubble tea over there before. Bubble tea is different and good, but it’s no coffee. I work in Shoreview, and I always take 35W to Minneapolis when coming from that area. For some reason, we had a miscommunication, so the dinner plans weren‘t confirmed. I had called her that morning & couldn’t get ahold of her. After the fact, I would see that she posted a comment on my Facebook page earlier in the day, asking if dinner was still on and for me to call her. So, I ended up working late that night. When I left work at 7pm, I heard about the 35W bridge collapse. If I would’ve left work to meet her for dinner at the time I was supposed to, I would’ve been in the area of the bridge at the time of the collapse. It makes one think.
Timing…Time…What is it, anyway? Society seems to obsess about it. We wear watches, wake up to alarm clocks, and we carry around cell phones that have clocks on them. We always say that we don’t have “enough” time. Or, we ask God if we are going through something, “When, God, when?” in regards to being delivered from it.
The Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms defines time as “the period between the creation of the universe and its ultimate consummation…God transcends time, but humans are time-bound creatures until they enter into life after death and exist eternally.” In Greek, there are two words for time: chronos, which deals with chronological or sequential time, and kairos, which means “the right or opportune moment.” In the New Testament, it means "the appointed time in the purpose of God,” the time when God acts.
In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew, we read about Jesus being baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. The timing of this is perfect. He wasn’t baptized too soon or too late. Jesus didn’t start his public ministry too early or too late. The time of his crucifixion and resurrection were appointed times. In fact, in Luke 4:30, the people from Jesus’ own hometown of Nazareth tried to kill him. They were going to throw him over a cliff! But, Jesus passed through their midst, because it wasn’t “the time” yet. Jesus explains in John 10:18, “No one takes it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” And, at the appointed time, Jesus will come again.
Today, I want to talk about time, looking more at the kairos side of it, and offer some insight into it, as well as offer some encouragement to you in dealing with it.
The letters that make up the word “time”--T, I, M, E--each represent something in regards to time.
The “T” in time stands for “Tests and Trials.” During our time here on earth, we are going to encounter tests and trials. No one is exempt. It’s not a question of “if” but “when.” It would be nice to say, “You know, Lord, I don’t feel like taking this test right now.” Well, just like in school, and trust me, I know, you may not feel like taking a test, but that won’t stop the test from happening. Could you imagine going up to a professor and saying, “You know, Dr. So-and-so, I have so much going on right now in my life. I just don’t feel like taking this test.” Sure, you can opt to not take the test, but it’s only going to hurt you--and your grade--in the end.
Why do we take tests in school? It gauges what we have learned in a class. So, why do we have tests in life? God always has a reason. It’s because He wants us to grow. It gauges what we learn in life and by reading the Bible. James 1:2-4 reminds us to “Consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”
When thinking of trials and tests, one cannot help but think of Job. He lost his possessions, his children, and his health, and he didn’t know why. His friends assumed that the suffering was a result of some sort of sin. But, suffering is not always a direct result of sin. Sometimes, bad things happen to good people. We may not know why in this lifetime. But, the main thing is to know the One Who can bring about the healing in our lives. Job realized that all he had left was God, and that was enough. Job was restored.
Joseph knew what it was like to face adversity and accusations. He was sold into slavery by his own brothers. He was imprisoned for something he didn’t do. But, he didn’t let it get him down. He kept his faith. In prison, he became a servant of the captain of the guard. From there, he became the second-in-command in Egypt, under Pharaoh! Joseph passed the test. We may not understand why he faced these obstacles, but as he told his brothers in Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.”
Jesus was constantly receiving accusations from the Pharisees. They wanted to keep people in the dark, but Jesus brought light. He is the light of the world. He stood up for truth and helped people whom would be considered outcasts of society. Whenever you stand up for what you believe in, it makes you a clear target. But, the slings and arrows of the enemy won’t win, because God is our vindicator. It’s hard to see evil thrive, but we need to remember Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”
Through testing, our relationship with God can deepen. We need to give our problems to God. We need to stop trying to figure things out ourselves. We need to stop worrying about things and rejoice during the testing times. Philippians 4:4-7 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always…Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Pray about everything. No problem is too big or too small for God. Sometimes, after praying, the situation may appear to get worse instead of better. But, keep praying. God is at work. We may not see it with our eyes in the “natural realm,“ but God can see behind the scenes and see the entire picture. He is on your side. He is for you, not against you. Besides, everyone wants to have a “test”imony, but you can’t have one without taking the “test.”
The “I” in time reminds us that God’s timing is not always “Instantaneous and Immediate.“ Now, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be. God is the Creator of the universe, and He can do anything just like that (snap fingers). To us, as humans, being taken out of a testing situation may feel like a LONG time. But, God’s timing is always perfect--He’s never too early, and He’s never too late.
We may not understand God’s timing, but He uses that time to purify us. God is going to take as much time as it takes for us to learn the lesson, to become a little bit more like Jesus.
We may think that we want something NOW, but it could be just a fleshly desire and not something that will truly benefit us. God is our Father, and He truly knows what’s best for His children. We need to stop running around like children who think they know everything. Psalm 37:4 tells us that if we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts and not our flesh. God needs to come first-place in our lives. Much like the universe rotates around the sun, S-U-N, we rotate around the Son, S-O-N. When He becomes first place in your life, everything else will fall into place.
In dealing with time, it takes baby steps to make it through. After all, a long journey begins with a single step. Does a baby start running right after it’s born? When losing weight, do you lose 50 pounds at once? No. A few years ago, I lost 50 pounds. It took me about a year to a year and a half to do so. How did I do it? By making choices each day, watching what foods would be beneficial to my body instead of harmful, implementing exercise into my daily routine. I lost a little bit of weight at a time. Small steps add up. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so be ready if your “time trial” isn’t over in a flash.
With school, I sometimes get caught up too much on when I am going to be done, especially when people ask me, “When are you going to be finished with school?” I can’t look at the entire time period, because then I am going to get frustrated and overwhelmed. School is finished by taking one class at a time, writing one paper at a time. When we take something on in little chunks, it doesn’t seem so bad. And, it’s not so much reaching the destination that’s important; it’s the lessons we learn along the journey.
Looking through the Bible, we see many examples of people who weren’t immediately relieved of their trials. Moses and the Israelites wandered around the desert for forty years before making it to the Promised Land. This was a journey that should have lasted only eleven days! But, with the Israelites’ continued grumbling and complaining, it prolonged the journey. God knew they weren’t ready for the Promised Land. Abraham and Sarah were one-hundred and ninety years old, respectively, when their son, Isaac, was born. Talk about waiting a LONG time before having your firstborn as a married couple! By that time, they could’ve been great-great-great grandparents! But, good things come to those who wait and trust in the Lord.
Time can be your friend instead of your worst enemy. Sometimes, the best things in life are worth waiting for.
The “M” in time stands for “Maturity.” God’s ultimate purpose is to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. God wants us to grow. He doesn’t want us to remain “baby Christians” forever. In First Corinthians 3:2, Paul tells the people, “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it.” When we were babies, we weren’t ready for food like steak. We grew into it.
We are supposed to grow. Something like saying, “Ga-ga” is cute when a baby does it, but when a forty year old does it, is it cute? No, it’s sad that someone that age never got passed that stage. Age is only gauged by a number; maturity comes from within. We display our maturity in the way we react to things that happen to us that we think are not the most favorable. Do we whine? Complain? Or, do we accept it, praise God and thank Him, even though we may not understand why this is happening?
It is important to be positive, because we need to remember that everything happens for a reason.
A true sign of maturity is loving everyone, no matter what. Loving those that hate you or bear false witness against you. Jesus gave the command in John 15:12 to “Love one another as I have loved you.” It’s easy to love the lovely; difficult to love the unlovely. But, they are the ones who need love the most. And, to love someone who is purposely trying to make your life difficult, is a true test of growth.
When a crisis hits, you see how much faith you truly have. God wants us to get passed fluctuating emotions and to follow and trust Him, no matter what. We need to go deeper if we are to mature.
One way to go deeper is to not stop doing the work of the Lord. When the slings and arrows of the enemy are pointed at you, don’t let it faze you. Find encouragement in Proverbs 12:19, “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.” It’s hard to keep on keepin’ on when it seems like evil is winning. But, if you go to the back of the book and read Revelation, you see that we win the war.
The sufferings of a Christian are addressed in 1 Peter 4:12-13, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” We are becoming what God first had envisioned for us. He could be preparing you for something better and bigger, to bring you up higher.
And, finally, the “E” in time means that time is of the “Essence.“ Timing is everything. Eternity is at stake.
None of us are promised tomorrow. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 reminds us that “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die.” All we have is today, for we don’t know what tomorrow brings.
At the appointed time, Jesus Christ came to earth. At the appointed time, Jesus will come again. We don’t know when he’ll return. It could be today, tomorrow, ten years from now, 100 years from now. In Matthew 24:36, Jesus says, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” He will return when the time is right.
War, bridges collapsing, shootings at malls, shootings at churches like the one in Colorado…It seems like everything is going in a downward spiral. People are overly sensitive and easily offended. People sue over anything. People don’t want to take responsibility and want to put the blame elsewhere. People seem to be more rude and selfish. “It’s all about me,” not caring about anyone else or how they make other people feel. How they treat other people.
Dear friends in Christ, we weren’t created for ourselves. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” Life is about making God happy, not ourselves. Now, don’t be mistaken--God wants us to be happy. If we give our lives to God, it will make us happy. True joy comes from the Lord.
Tracy Lawrence sang a song a few years back, entitled “Time Marches On.” In one part of the song, it says “The only thing that stays the same is everything changes.” That’s partially true. God stays the same. It’s good to know that we have someone like that to hold on to when the world around us is constantly changing or is in constant turmoil.
A month or so ago, I was working on homework on a Saturday night…Yes, when you are a student, your social life takes a back seat…But, remember: Temporary pain for something better. Anyways, I had the TV on in the background for background noise, and I was flipping through the channels. I found an old Billy Graham crusade from the early 1980s. At that time, he was talking about war, the rise of immorality, and the return of Christ. He was talking about time and decisions. He said that time will make a decision for you, and more than likely, time will decide against you. “Indecision is a decision not to do something.” He used an example of someone having an airplane ticket for a flight from Minneapolis to Winnipeg. The person can hold the ticket, but if the person waits passed the departure time and doesn’t get on the flight, it’s decided that the person isn’t going to Winnipeg.
So, my question to you is, what are you holding off from doing today? Maybe it’s apologizing to someone. Maybe it’s deepening your walk with Christ. Or, maybe it’s developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I urge you, since we don’t know how much time we have: Don’t put off ‘til tomorrow what can be done today. The time is NOW.
Time given to God is not lost. Time spent with God is never wasted. Everybody has the same number of hours in a day--24. It’s important to spend time with God. One of my resolutions is to spend more quiet time with Him, amongst the busyness of work and school, reading textbooks and such. You can find different ways to spend time with God, by reading His Word, listening to worship music in the car on your way to work, praying…You can even pray on the go. Immediately when the Holy Spirit prompts you about something, pray. Praying should be as natural as breathing. And, remember: When the world pushes you to your knees, you’re in the perfect position to pray.
Just remember that your time here on earth will consist of tests and trials, and relief for those tests and trials will not always be instantaneous and immediate. But, going through this journey will bring about maturity in you. Time is of the essence, so make the most of it. When going through your tests and trials, I want you to remember to never give up. I want to leave you with this encouraging story:
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as if as soon as one problem was solved a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen.
The mother filled three pots with water.
In the first, she placed carrots.
In the second she placed eggs.
And the last she placed ground coffee beans.
She let them sit and boil without saying a word. About twenty minutes later, she turned off the burners.
She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she said, "Tell me what you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied sarcastically.
She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did, and noted that they felt soft.
She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg inside.
Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, "So, what's the point, mother?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid center. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its insides had become hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water...they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your
door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot , an egg, or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which am I?
Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt
and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship, or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my outer shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water - the very circumstances that bring the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor of the bean. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you instead of letting it change you.
When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?
How do you handle Adversity?
ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?
Leave it to me to tie in a story about coffee. But, it is my prayer today that we may all be coffee! Amen.
Caroline Harthun
Holy Cross Lutheran Church - Sunday, January 13, 2008
