Time

I saw this work of graphic design in the hall at school when I started my new job in May, and was strongly drawn to it.  It seemed a perfect representation of my dominant pressures.

by William Graham

At the time, I was still working as a janitor at night as well.  Time was a huge factor in the janitorial job:  The company wanted me to work quickly so that my by-the-hour pay was within budget, but I struggled with wanting to take time and do a thorough job.  It was also difficult to be working at the time of day when my kids most need me -- while they are doing homework, chores, doing activities, and getting ready for bed.  If I interrupted my janitorial job to attend an activity, I had to schedule my time extraordinarily carefully to be able to finish my work in time to come home and get adequate sleep before another full day of work the next day.  Time was constantly on my mind.

As I have continued to ponder time since then, I have come up with some other ideas:

Time is such a pressing mortal constraint that we tend to forget that God is not limited by time.

Jesus Blessing Jairus's Daughter
(Christ Raising the Daughter of Jairus)
by Greg K. Olsen

Christ tried to teach that at least twice that I know of - raising the daughter of Jairus and raising Lazarus. The people were so critical of Him, even those who were closest and most faithful to Him (Mary), were so upset that he hadn't acted "in time" to save the dying. But Jesus very calmly showed them that His power to heal is not limited or constrained by time. It was not then, when He was a mortal Himself, and it is most certainly not now when He is an exalted being and time is one of the many elements completely in His power and within His control.

Stilling the Storm
by Ted Henninger

If He as a mortal could command the winds and the waves, He as an exalted being can surely command time. We can not see it. We are limited and constrained by time in order to develop faith. That doesn't mean that our constraints are His.

When God chooses to act in His time, it may seem too late or too ineffectual to us.  But some day we will see things as they really are (see Jacob 4:13), and we will see that His timing is always perfect in accomplishing His purposes.