____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ March 2, 1997 ____________________________________________________ Time, Change, and Stability by Tom Edwards Time Time is very relative, isn't it? If filled with enjoyable events, it seems to go too rapidly or be shorter. Troubling or difficult times, however, appear to be long-drawn-out, slower. Someone once jokingly said that being on a stringent diet, eating all the right foods and eliminating sugar, fat, and cholesterol doesn't really enable one to live longer -- ``it just seems that way.'' I would imagine, though, that to live to be even 100 years old would still seem short when looking back on one's life, after having reached that ripe old age. Where do all those years go? Were they wasted years? used wisely? used to the glory of God? Whatever they were, they were; and once they're gone, they're gone -- irretrievable. We must, therefore, be sure to take heed to Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 5:15-17 to ``Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.'' This is definitely one of the most important uses of our time: to learn and to do God's will. In a shorter perspective, how often have we worked on something that was tedious, puzzling, frustrating, very time-consuming? It seemed as if there were no solution or that its completion was beyond our ability; but then we finally arrive at the answer, the proper technique, or the accomplishment; and all that time expended, suddenly seems to have been joyously vanquished by the moment of discovery or completion. Oh, how restorative, uplifting, and satisfying, happy moments can be! If only we could learn how to better shut out those brief unhappy times and just keep the joyous ones to enliven our hearts and minds. The Bible says that ``Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones'' (Prov. 16:24); and that ``A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones'' (Prov. 17:22). Good and joyful humor is also a helpful asset to the constitution of our well-being. As you probably remember, Solomon tells us that there is ``A time to weep, and a time to laugh....'' (Eccl. 3:4). The Psalmist declares: ``When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with joyful shouting; then they said among the nations, `The Lord has done great things for them.' The Lord has done great things for us; We are glad'' (Psa. 126:1-3). Why is man, though, so often bent on making his time wretched by tormenting himself over hurtful accusations rather than being glad because of the sincere expressions of praise, admiration, or appreciation given to him? How often has one heard 98 compliments and just 2 annoying complaints or harsh criticisms and ended up miserably dwelling on that small 2% of soul-piercing, hurtful words -- whether true or false -- instead of being made joyful because of the healthful praise of the majority? It really doesn't make sense, does it? Unfortunately, it appears that just as the old cliche is true that ``a small, kind word can go a long way,'' even so is the distance that a cruel word can travel. But how long does harsh criticisms or hurtful words have to live? Could it be that we are often guilty of ``prolonging their lives''? Perhaps we've had to ``resuscitate'' some of these just to keep them going by mulling over that ``secret list'' for the umpteenth time, which we keep buried somewhere and have entitled, ``The Terrible, Unkind, and Hurtful Things Which People Have Said About Me.'' But what does Paul say about this? He informs us that love ``is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered...''; and that it ``endures all things'' (1 Cor. 13:5,7). To express this in other words, we should not be ``keeping records'' of injustices inflicted upon us. What would be the point of it? Would these annoying ``records'' be the good things that the New Testament instructs us to dwell upon? (see Phil. 4:8.) Oh, if all our bad times, though, could be no longer than the life of a ``meson.'' For this very short-lived particle, which helps bind the nucleus together, sometimes has an incredibly brief lifespan that has been calculated at just 10 millionths of a billionth of a billionth of a second. Or, in other words, the length of time it takes for light to travel from one side of a proton to the other. Well, some of our upsetting times might not be nearly that brief; but as Paul shows us, if we are angry, we shouldn't take that anger to bed with us! As a matter of fact, we shouldn't even let the sun go down on it (see Eph. 4:26). In other words, don't prolong it; for even a righteous indignation might evolve into the wrong kind of anger if it begins to dominate us. Change Recently, we considered at church the numerous changes many of us have experienced in our lives. How much really stays the same? My father, being 51 years older than me, was born in 1902. Surely he saw numerous transformations in the world around him up to the time of his death in 1980. I imagine that during his very early days much of the look of the Victorian Era was still prevalent; and during the 1920's, he had been with the Pennsylvania State Police -- on horseback. About 15 years ago, I used to visit a woman who was nearly 102 years old at a convalescent home in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Though her body was frail, her mind was still sharp; and listening to some of her stories of when she was a little girl, would evoke scenes similar to those in Gone With The Wind: the horse and buggies, the dirt roads, the white picket fences, the huge Victorian homes, the simpler, slower-paced life. Just think of all the modern technology that we have today, which wasn't around even 20 or 30 years ago. And consider the way fashions, industries, consumer products, houses, buildings, transportation, and many other characteristic features of our present world -- which have all contributed toward a new ``face lift'' to our environment and culture -- are features that were either never in existence before or new, improved features that have been greatly modified from their former looks and/or performance. When I last visited with my mother in Florida in the area where I had lived for about 18 years, there were many obvious changes from our once smaller town of Dunedin and its environs. US 19, which I can still remember as having been lined with orange groves on both sides for miles, is now accompanied with stores, malls, restaurants, other businesses, and all stretching contiguously along these same miles. Sites of unfamiliarity seem to out-weigh those that I remember as part of my early youth. Maybe this is why someone once said, ``You can't go home again.'' Sad, isn't it? I guess especially for those of us who are often sentimental and cherish nostalgia. Stability But though, as even in one of the songs we sing, there is ``change and decay in all around I see,'' isn't it wonderful to believe in a God who never changes, never wears out, never even wavers from being the perfection that He is!!! As the same hymn also declares, "O Thou who changest not, abide with me." ``Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever'' (Heb. 13:8); and though this very universe will pass away, God's word will not (Matt. 24:35). What a glorious thought! Even if I live 56 more years to reach 100, God will still be the same, as well as His message for me. I find great solace in this: to know that even then, I can still turn to the same God and to that same message. Yes, I am comforted by His tremendous stability, His unceasing and unchanging love for humanity, His never-failing dependability. God is an impenetrable fortress for my weak and weary soul, an imperishable treasure that will never wax old, a safe haven from the storms of life. His word brings a hope that doesn't waste away with the passing years of time nor become disillusioned by the temporary misfortunes of this earth-life. Because the Lord is this way, we, too, can have spiritual stability in our lives. And, actually, this is what God wants for us, so that we be not ``tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ'' (Eph. 4:14-15). It's an amazing truth: God is not subject to time nor change. Nor is He fickle as many of us often are: our reactions are frequently based on mere feelings, which can change from day to day; but God's character remains the paragon of true perfection; and we can, therefore, praise the Lord for simply being the God that He is! What's good and perfect about Him? Everything!!! Yes, though all around me continues to change, I find great comfort in knowing that God is more solid than an enormous rock-ledge, more enduring than the greatest of mountains, and more unchanging than a large diamond safely tucked away in an air-tight vault. God is timeless, changeless, and unwavering. The Lord is like an unsinkable ship that is passing our way through the stormy billows of life, and allowing all, who will, to freely come aboard. Oh, won't you become a part of His crew before He sets sail for that final voyage, which destination is beyond the horizon of this temporary realm and into the heavenly port of God's eternal kingdom where time as we know it will not be. For there, there will be time without end in a glorious realm of endless perfection and unchanging stability. ___________________________________________ NEWS & NOTES Chris Withrow had surgery on his right knee the Monday before last, and all seems to have gone well. His mother Barbara writes, ``They removed a lot of `ground up cartilage' for want of a better way of saying...He has some bone rubbing against bone which has been causing him a lot of pain. I will find out more tomorrow when he sees his surgeon for a post-operative visit.'' Chris also developed gout prior to the surgery, which has gone from the right to the left foot. Let us continue praying for him. Mark Copeland sent the following update regarding Yater Tant, courtesy of Sewell Hall...''I thought you might want to know that Yater Tant's illness is increasingly serious. After a fall in early January in which he broke his pelvis, he and Helen came to Atlanta where David and family could care for them. A little more than two weeks ago, he had an emergency operation to remove an ulcer which had developed and at that time they found a serious liver problem. Now, his kidneys seem to be failing. He has continued to know those who come to see him, but it is now difficult to understand his speech and he is weakening fast. He is in North Fulton Hospital in Roswell [GA], Room 136....'' Jason Suman and his wife Tina are expecting their first child any day now. This young couple are the new owners of Dickenson Printing, where we continue to have our weekly church bulletins printed--and at a very reasonable rate, I might add. Let us pray that all will go well for Tina, the baby -- and for Jason, too. They are hard-workers and kind and generous people. Recent information about the church's financial situation and other statistics have been posted on the bulletin board. Free Bible courses are available upon request. Bible Film slides, personal home-studies (with a couple of us from church), and transportation to our services (provided by one of our members) are also available for those who live in our area. Come visit us soon! ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 713 13th Street, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@wwd.net Gospel Observer Homepage: http://www.wwd.net/user/tedwards/go Religious Home Page: http://www.wwd.net/user/tedwards/religion.htm Daily Bible Passage: http://www.wwd.net/user/tedwards/passage.htm ________________________________________