Time!  We all have the same amount of it.   We all use it in various ways.  We all sometimes complain about not having enough time. 
     I had a friend who used to often say, “If only we had a 27 hour day”.  But of course, none of us do.  We all have the same number of hours in a day.  It’s just that sometimes, we don’t use it in the most efficient ways.
    I’ve read articles of how time has been studied.  But the fact is, no one can objectively observe and do research on time, since we all are in it.  It would be like evaluating how a vehicle looks and the roads it travels, but only as a person sitting in the vehicle.  Because we can never step out of time and look at it as an observer or research without being in it.
   Perhaps the best advice for all of us are these words of Scripture
 
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Eccl. 3:1)
 
“Making the most of the time” (Col. 4:5)
 
“My times are in your hands” (Psalm 31:15)
 
    The Bible points to time as a creation of God (Gen. 1:1 “In the beginning…” would be when time began).  And the Scriptures point when  time has an end (with references to the “end times )   Certainly God has control of time (Psalm 31:15),So then it is well that we look to the Eternal God (that is beyond all time) and trust in Him.  
 
    As we close this year, and look toward the new year, may God bless us in time and for all eternity!

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•   A person is very sad over several losses in their life, and yet when a baby is seen, that person smiles, and may even laugh at the new life seen and experienced.
• An ordinary day suddenly becomes extraordinary when a beautiful sunset is seen..
• After working in a very dirty environment (like cleaning up a sewer back up, or working in the dirt of a garden), that person goes to take a refreshing shower.

 
     And I’m sure we can all come up other situations when the sad and the ugly is transformed into joy and wonder.  That’s the way I’m feeling as Christmas approaches this year. 
     At RLC we have just completed a three week series on grief, and this Thursday we will have our service on the longest night, as we all look at the losses and deaths that surround us.  And add to this all the other troubling and disturbing news and experiences that we all have in life.  
     And all of a sudden, we are hearing the good news of Jesus’ birth!  And one cannot help but smile, and reflect on the joy Mary and Joseph had.  And the joy that led the angels to sing, and the shepherds and wisemen to go to see this Child in a manger.
     Maybe we sometimes think that the Christmas story is in a vacuum, as in separate from real life.  But it isn’t!  Look closer at this story.  There are lots of unusual and unexpected and difficult experiences happening:  demands of paying taxes, traveling while pregnant, questions about how the conception of Jesus occurred, and concerns about the welfare of this mother and child.  Add to this all the social, religious, political, national and international crises happening at the time (as in our own times), and you have a lot of sad and ugly stuff happening.  And into all of this, the Christ Child is born!  To dwell with us.  To be our Savior.  
    So whatever you are thinking or feeling right now, pause and remember:  Jesus was born, lived, suffered, died, rose, and is now living in and among you!  As your Savior and Lord.  May this cause you to smile and be filled with joy and peace and hope!!

   Last week’s blog focused our attention on repentance.  Today I want to have us think about faith.  Consider the various things and people that we have faith in, believing that 

• People driving vehicles will stay in their lanes on the streets and highways
• the food and water we consume is really safe for us.
• Doctors know what they are doing when they check on our health, do surgeries, etc.
• Engineers and builders will make buildings and bridges safe for our daily use.

 
   And we could go on and on with all the many things and people that we trust in our society.  And not all of them are things that we can see.  For example, we trust that the air we breathe (usually invisible, except maybe during the winter) has enough oxygen for us to stay alive.  Or how about our internal organs (that most of us have not seen).  Will my heart keep beating?  Will my stomach receive the food I eat (well, if not, we all know what happens then!)
 
   We also know that all of these things and people sometimes fail, and our faith in them doesn’t stop them from harming us or others.
 
   When Jesus began His public ministry, He began with this sermon:  “The kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news.”  (Mark 1:15)  Repent…and believe!
 
   I realize that we no longer see Jesus.  And His instructions lead to all kinds of things that are invisible (like trusting in the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life with God).  So can we trust Him?
 
   It seems if we can trust our heart to keep beating, and that a bridge will hold up the weight of all those vehicles, then surely we can give God in Christ the faith to trust in Him!  And God is faithful; he will always keep His promises.  His gift of repentance and faith is promised!
    As we are asked to wait and watch for the Advent of the Messiah, may we call on God to give us the repentance and faith we need.  And be assured:  He will do what he has promised!

​   Repentance!  It’s the word and topic of all of the Scripture readings for this Sunday.  It means to turn, away from sin and toward God.  So it includes the confession of sin, and faith in God and the forgiveness of sins He gives to all.
 
   But let’s keep in mind a couple of things:

1. Repentance is a good thing!  So often it is put into a context of being bad and punished and filled with fear and judgment.  But instead, repentance is a turning toward a most wonderful and gracious and loving God!  

So think of walking from our house north, and then changing your mind and walking south (where Joy Ice Cream Shop is :)  That’s a wonderful experience of repentance/turning to get ice cream (unless you are on a diet; then forget the last two sentences).  And God has a lot more than ice cream to offer to all who look to Him :).
 

1. Repentance is like everything else, along with grace, forgiveness, faith and the Christian life…it ALL happens by God’s will and power, not ours.  

As the Scriptures tell us, “God’s kindness leads you to repentance” (Romans 2:4)
…“when you were dead in sin, God made you alive” (Col 2:13)
And so as we read in the meaning to the 3rd Article of the Creed, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ or come to Him, but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel…”
As the prodigal son turned toward home after his going astray; it was remembering what he had when with his father that caused him to “come to his senses” and return home.  And it was his father who was waiting, looking, and ran toward his son, hugging him and celebrating with him!
 
So I invite you to join me in repentance!  Turning to the Living and Loving and Always Merciful and Gracious God!  He will receive your repentance.  Indeed, He is working this repentance in our hearts and minds even as we read this.  
 
Happy Advent!!  As we prepare for the Advent of our King, turning toward Him and looking for His presence in our lives, now and forever!