Articles
SWIFTLY WE’RE TURNING…
At about this time every year parents throughout our country (and probably the world)
lament how quickly time has passed with their children. It was just the other day they were
crawling...walking...running and then driving their car. Now they are preparing to step out on
their own. This evening we will celebrate five of these individuals. I hope you will plan to be a
part of this celebration honoring them for this wonderful achievement.
As I thought about life’s transitions of time, the song “Into Our Hands” came to mind. The
song begins with the statement, “Swiftly we’re turning life’s daily pages, swiftly the hours are
changing to years;…” How accurate those words! The early Christians were intent on the return
of our Lord and Savior. The apostle Paul actually had to instruct the church in Thessalonica to
remain vigilant in watching for the Lord’s return, but in the meantime, keep working for the Lord
(2 Thess. 2). Is it possible that we have become so comfortable with the world that we have
forgotten the promise Jesus and angels made to the apostles (John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11)? Early
Christians were encouraged to be “...looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory
of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,…” (Titus 2:13). Let us be ever watchful, “...looking
for and hastening the coming of the day of God,…” (2 Pet. 3:12).
The above mentioned song really is not as much about how quickly life is passing as it is on
recognizing the awesome task the Lord has given to each of us in spreading the gospel message.
The song continues with the following questions, “How are we using God’s golden moments?
Shall we reap glory? Shall we reap tears?” How are we fulfilling the task of teaching a lost world
of salvation found only in Jesus Christ? Are we telling people about what the Lord has done for
us personally? Or, maybe we have forgotten how important the blood of Christ is to us, as
sinners? Are we living as shining lights pointing to God or have we hidden our lights under a
bushel?
The song concludes with the chorus:
Into our hands the gospel is given, into our hands is given the light,
Haste, let us carry God’s precious message, guiding the erring back to the right.
Yes, life is passing us by rather quickly. Are we preparing ourselves for the coming of the
Lord? Are we warning others of the imminent judgment to come (Acts 17:30-31)? ~P. Mowrer
