Last week I purchased an hour glass.
I have it set up in my prayer room now. In early morning prayer time I turn it over, light my candle, and let the time begin. I have discovered that I experience time differently using the hour glass than I do when I am looking at a clock. With the hourglass, time flows. With the clock, time passes. (Not to mention a digital time piece, where time simply clicks and blinks away). Somehow that watch makes me think about scheduling and being on time. The hourglass reminds me that I am "in" time -- and that God is with me in that time.
I have noticed that my prayer time is somewhat less "idea oriented" when the flowing grains of sand determine its duration, rather than a timer or a bell or a wristwatch. I am able to settle into the hour and surrender. The hourglass is accurate within two minutes, so the time may range from 58 - 62 minutes.
The internal chatter ceases. I am listening with my heart. I am receptive.
The upper bulb of the glass becomes empty.
What time is it? I don't know.
But I do know that God has equipped me in some way to participate in all of the minutes and hours of the day at hand. It's not that I know more than I did an hour ago. This is what it's about: Because of God's lavish and abundant mercy and love, I am more. I am more and actually have more of what God knows I need for the day that is now before me.
What time is it? It's time to engage with the world. It's time to interact with others. It's time to live and love, sharing with others the blessings God worked within me during the past hour. It may be as simple as tending to some household task with grace and appreciation.
Or, who knows, maybe this will be the day I am called to participate in something glorious (moving a mountain?) in His Name!
ps: Want to have your own hour glass? Try this website for starters!
2 comments:
Years ago, Janet and I bought a wind-up wall clock with a pendulum. When I was a seminary student, Janet would be at work, and I would be at home studying, and, in the background, there would be the ticking of the clock. There is a set-up click two minutes before the clock chimes. And what I found amazing was how often I would lift my eyes from the book I was reading and look at the clock just a moment before that set-up click. It seemed somehow that something within me anticipated it.
That clock is special to me. For one thing, it is a connection to our early years as husband and wife. For another, there is the experience I described above. And, for yet another, with each tick, it is a reminder that God's unfolding of the first creation continues, even as, in Christ and His Church, the new creation continues to reveal itself. The next tick of that clock cannot happen unless God wills it.
Pamela, I wish I could be a "fly on the wall" as you do your "God's Time" thing.
Pendulums do help us be more mindful of God's timing, I am convinced! My son has an old fashioned metronome... although it is not in commission right now, I did want to take it to the "In God's Time" retreat. The clicking and ticking at increasing or decreasing tempo is a wonderful tool for helping folks experience the God Given privilege and blessing each one has to "s-l-o-w d-o-w-n."
Thank you for your thoughts about the ticking of the clock...I too have experienced that "set up" click. It stimulates deeper thought about the "set up" click that occured over 2000 years ago... so now, the people of God live in anticipation!
Hold me and the retreatants in prayer, please.... as you do, "you" are there in many ways. Finally... perhaps there are folks in your area who would be interested in attending a similar retreat(even an all day event could be effective... not optimal, perhaps, but still of value).
Blessings to you and yours!
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