NO TIME—ALWAYS TIME

Moses, the man of God prayed in Ps. 90:12, “Teach us to number our days.” The one receives more and a longer time to live here upon earth than another. But it is remarkable what we read in Eccl. 3, “A time to be born, and a time to die “, but there is nothing said about a time to live. Why not? There is nothing more uncertain than life and nothing more certain than death. Really we have no time to live. Life here upon earth is compared to a shadow, which soon disappears as a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Our life is also compared to grass, in the morning it flourisheth, in the evening it is cut down, and withereth. And the time God gives us is given as a preparation for eternity.

We busy ourselves with everything that has no value for eternity. We are out of the earth earthy. We were created to live and we are born to die. We believe the lie of satan, who once said to Eve: “Thou shalt not die.” Even Hezekiah had to receive the message: “Set thy house in order: for thou shalt die and not live.” Also to Martha, of whom we read that the Lord loved her, He said: “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful.” No time for what is necessary, that you may live and die happily. Indeed time, yes time enough for everything that is only vanity.

No time—always time, that came in my mind, when in one of our congregations, where I had been moderator for 22 years I spoke with an elder about a child of God, whom I might bury 20 years ago already with the words: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” The Bible tells us, the memory of the just is blessed, and indeed, that is continually being confirmed, that matters and conversations out of their lives come to our mind, which we cannot forget and which remind us of the work of God, that was glorified in their life. God’s work retains its value, God Himself lays a lustre upon it, that can give such a pleasant reflection. That woman had a family of eight children. Her husband and children took up all her time, there never was time to go to church. But what happened? God took away her husband in the prime of his life, and in a terrible way. While returning home from his work he was shot to death. Humanly speaking it was a mistake, for they had their eye upon someone else: but with God there are no mistakes. Now she was left with eight small children. What a deep way! Yes, but she had to pass through a still deeper way. A few months, after her husband died, she brought twins into the world. There she sat with ten children. But now she had time to go to church. The Lord had sanctified all those deep ways to her heart. She had felt the blows and kissed the rod. She had fallen away from herself and fallen unto God. With eight children she never had time, and with ten children always time.

We have to do with a wondrous God. Great in counsel, and mighty of deed. For Him there is nothing too wonderful. With sadness in my heart I still often think back to those times, that I could listen to what God had done in the life and heart of that woman. God’s work is to His praise, honor and glory. A lovely fragrance flows from that work. That work is so simple, but also so true.

There are many people, who have their mouth full of religion, though in their life they clearly show, that the true fear of God was never granted them. In the sermon on the mount Christ in a special manner had laid the emphasis on this, that it must be revealed in the fruit whether the heart renewing work of the Spirit is glorified in us. Christ says in Matt. 7:21, “Not everyone that saith unto me ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

God has a willing people in the day of His power. We can never lay enough emphasis on the necessity of the work of God in our hearts. Without that regenerating work of God, we are dead in trespasses and sins. A person may go to church, yea, faithfully attend the preaching of the word, though without saving grace, it is only by virtue of education, because of our conscience or custom. The heart is not in it and the true love is lacking.

The true concern about our sins, about our separation from God, begins when God calls a man from death unto life. And from that time on everything becomes different. Then they will confess their trespasses before the Lord. They have a sorrow and sadness about the way, which lays behind them, but they receive love towards God, His word, His house, His service, His name and His cause. And now there can come times of declension and falling away, of being without love, and without needs, but what God has once performed in the heart, can never go completely away again. God maintains His own work, God’s people can never go back into the world and sin. They may often fear, but God supports their tottering ways. They are kept only by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

God will nevermore let His people go and Christ continues to pray, that their faith shall never fail. The Holy Spirit has sealed them unto the day of redemption.

For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance. God will eternally receive the honor of His own work.

No Time—always time. Yea, when by renewing I thought a little about that again, then there came a desire in my heart to write something about it. The time is short. It is known unto God, how short a time we shall yet be upon earth; soon it will be eternity. Soon there will be time no more, then the time of grace is passed, and the door of grace is barred forever. The reason why we have no time for God and His service is, because we have no desire. And thus life passes swiftly away; thoughtless, impressionless and no need. How righteous it will be if we are soon lost forever, if we neglect so great a salvation. Yea, the Lord Himself says: “But ye have set at nought my counsel, and would none of My reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh.” Prov. 1:25,26.

But what an eternal wonder, it shall then be for all those, who are called out of darkness unto God’s marvellous light. For all those, who out of sovereign love have been given to Christ by the Father. When God comes, then the world will fall away; then sins become a burden and a sorrow, then there comes time to seek the Lord, to read His word; and to go into seclusion for prayer and supplication. Yea, then God’s house becomes also our house.

No, not to neglect our calling, which God gave us in this temporal life, but then everything becomes so different than it formerly was. Then there will no longer be lions and bears upon the way when the doors of the church are open, where God is most highly exalted and the sinner most deeply abased. When there is corn in Egypt, then Joseph’s brothers take their journey. And when there is hunger in the land, then Ruth tarries a little in the house.

When we are hungering and thirsting after righteousness, then we will observe the time. Then there will be times, that time is forgotten, when something of eternity was tasted in communion with God. Those were times that the world laid under, that sin had no more strength, and that the depravities were feignedly submissive. I think that there still are souls, who with us would say: “I long as in the days of old.” There comes a time in our life, that we cannot stand above everything anymore. But more and more we draw back ashamed and confounded. “Where may the grace of the olden times be?” The want becomes greater than their possession. They are more empty than full; more often without than within; more often down than up; more flesh than Spirit. Once, yes once the body of sin and death shall be put off. Then there will always be time to magnify God, when there shall be time no more.

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