Signs of Time

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them (Exod. 20:11 ESV), and two days before He made man, God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.” (Gen. 1:14 ESV) God put these signs in place on Wednesday for people He later created on Friday, so that they would not live a day without them. Of all creation, only human beings are capable of reading these signs in the sky. God has determined that man should live according to times and seasons, and we simply cannot function without these signs. Today you rarely find people who read these celestial signs on a regular base, but the Word of God cannot be abolished. You may wear the latest apple watch on your wrist, but the time it shows still relies on the accurate calculation of the orbits of the celestial lights God put in the sky. Therefore, whenever you check the time on your watch, or greet each other with new year wishes, you are unconsciously referring to those ancient signs God put in place for us.


God wants us to pay attention to time, because there is meaning hidden only human are supposed to uncover. God left these signs to guide our search, and the reward is the meaning of life. We all start our life by counting these signs marking the start of a day, a month, a year, and a decade until we depart from this world. When we remember those who have thus finished their earthly journey, we always mention two important time marks, their birth and death dates. They represent their entry and exit points into this time maze we call life. For those who are still alive, we have only one of the two dates revealed. If a new year does not bring in new hope, it indicates that we are lost in this time maze. If we neglect or ignore these God-given signs of time, then we voluntarily give up the privilege God has granted to the living and become a living dead. For all God’s children who are welcoming year 2020, may the new year bell remind us to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. (1 Pet. 4:2 ESV)


Only those who live a purpose driven life would pay close attention to the signs of time. They need these signs to schedule their next move. Some signs would give use a sense of urgency and spur us into action, other signs would quiet us down and to wait patiently. A few years ago, we had a family trip to Disney World and that experience gave an adept example for the duel impacts of time on man. We drove a thousand miles to Florida and only have five days to enjoy the park. Each morning we would wake up by an alarm, both young and old would get ready in the shortest time possible, then we would drive right to the park to get to those famous rides. This shows the urgency time can bring, as it spurs us to action and we waste no time. After we arrive, we were greeted with a long line circling outside the building. Finally when we proceeded inside the building, we discovered an even longer and more meandering line folding back and forth in a tight space. We were a little disappointed because it means a longer wait than we expected. Yet we felt encouraged at the same time, because it means we are closer to the ride and these many people in line meant it should be worth the wait. This shows the patience time can bring. It helps us endure the boredom while waiting and not give up. During that five-day span, those who had watches kept on checking time. And those who had not, kept asking those with watches, what time is it? How many minutes do have we left?


The purpose for kids is to have fun. When they grow up, they would take on other purposes in life. We who belong to God have moved up even further, because God has shown us an ever greater and glorious purpose of life, that is knowing Christ. (Phi. 3:8) All these purposes would produce the same duel impacts on man: urgency and patience. As the new year unfolds, with this sign of a new beginning, let us examine ourselves with the duel standards. May we renew our urgency of knowing Christ so that we would not waste any opportunities presented in year 2020, and may we wait upon the Lord with greater patience. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. (Rom. 13:11 ESV)

Prayer: O Lord! Draw me closer to you, show me the signs of time that when I should take action and when I should wait upon you. Whether on the match or in the trench, I will press on toward the goal!