The ticking of the clock

By CHERYL CRUCE

There are some mornings when being still is an impossibility. As a busy person (by nature or nurture), spending a day doing nothing feels like insanity. Even if I settle my routine down to a grinding halt, my mind constantly thinks of the next task to be completed. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy slow-paced days of experiencing new sights, sounds, and surroundings of a long-awaited vacation. However, even on little getaways, there are reminders of upcoming tasks somewhere in the recesses of my mind that refuse to shut down.
From the moment the morning alarm starts the day to the turning off of the lights in the evening, there is an awareness of the clock’s ticking. Time has a way of increasing speed. In my youth, time appeared relentlessly slow. Even so, the moment I looked into the eyes of my firstborn, time became a rollercoaster of twists and turns that heightened its momentum.
Those newborn eyes are now 40 years old. Where did the time go? The proverbial snowball has topped the hill and is rolling fast into the busyness of life.
I have learned that the “hustle and bustle” is not a character flaw but a way of society. Society teaches us to be busy; wisdom teaches us soul-rest. Wisdom also teaches that God has prepared a time for everything under the sun (Ecclesiastes 3). We may fill our days with a hectic schedule, yet ultimately, the time belongs to God. Only in God can we find the balance between the building and the much-needed rest of mind, body, and spirit.
Wisdom taught me well on the front porch of a house that had fallen prey to time. I was sent to the home for wound care as a home health worker. Before I could attend to his needs, he insisted I sit for a while. The broken boards and weather-beaten walls did not disturb his demeanor. He began speaking of his youth and moving to the city. He talked about working three jobs to get ahead. Then he said, “At 90, here I am, the house where I was born. Slow down, stop rushing through life, and enjoy the time given.” He had learned the meaning of soul-rest. He was sharing his wisdom.
The Prophet Elijah learned of God’s soul-rest in 1st Kings 19. Elijah had been busy for the Lord, carrying the people through drought and famine. He had stood against the false prophets on Mount Carmel and had been obedient to the Lord, who proved victorious. However, in a fleeting moment, Elijah looked to self and became overwhelmed, causing him to flee to the wilderness. Eventually, God sent him to Mount Horeb, where Elijah hid in a cave. The winds blew, the fires burned, and the earth quaked against the mountain. Nonetheless, God’s voice was heard in the stillness when all the noise faded. Elijah found rest and restoration in God.
Isn’t it time to silence the noise of the world? Like Elijah, our restoration will be found when we look to the Lord, for only He can quiet what burns against us. “Our rest lies in looking to the Lord and not to ourselves (Watchman Nee).” As people who follow after God, we need to find our rest in Him, patiently waiting for His timing (Psalm 37:7). Our solace is found in His resting place, His Sabbath, for it is He who sets the time in motion, and He who controls the ticking of the clock.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Cheryl Mixon-Cruce is Pastor of Ochlockonee Bay United Methodist Church and Sopchoppy United Methodist Church.