this day and that Day...

four-faced clock at Grand Central Terminal in New York City

It was almost 9:30pm on Saturday, December 22, 2007, when our family first stepped into the beautiful Grand Central Terminal in New York City and snapped this photo of the famous four-faced clock over the Information Booth, which dates from the original opening of the building in 1913. Little did we know, but we were about to be amazed and in awe as the eight-minute Grand Central Kaleidoscope of Lights Show began to unfold its fantastic musical sights and sounds to the delight of everyone in the building that night. 

Looking up at the vision of lights on the massive ceiling and walls was so inspiring. Watching the famous four-faced clock ticking off the minutes of “this day” and the heavenly vision of lights and sounds lifting my heart to “that Day,” I was reminded of this quote:

There are two days in my calendar: this day and that Day.—Martin Luther

We all have “that Day” ahead of us…that Day when our hearts will stop beating…that Day when our families and friends get the news that we are gone…that Day when we see our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ face-to-Face. Our blessed assurance of the certainty of “that Day” dramatically affects the way we live “this day”…in the light of eternity. 

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.—Psalm 139:16 

If an instant of time be conceived, which cannot be divided into the smallest particles of moments, that alone is it, which may be called present. Which yet flies with such speed from future to past, as not to be lengthened out with the least stay. For if it be, it is divided into past and future. The present hath no space.—The Confessions of St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Book XI, Chapter XV, There Is Only A Moment of Present Time

When we step out of time and into eternity everything will be one big panorama. We will see the past; we will see the present; we will see the future—perfectly unfolded and it will all work together for good to those who love God—and it will make sense.—Pastor Ray C. Stedman

Heavenly Father, I praise you for your amazing sovereignty. You wove me together in my mother’s womb, saw me before I was born, and have already recorded every day of my life. You charted the path ahead of me and laid out every moment before a single day had passed. I don’t have to fear because you are with me, before me, behind me, surrounding me. Help me to live this day in the light of eternity, amen.

How about you? In what ways do you seek to live each day in the light of eternity? These Casting Crowns lyrics: When I’m lost in the mystery...to You my future is a memory, from the song, You’re Already There, gives me a wide-angle view of my life...a little glimpse of what it will be like when we step out of time and into eternity and see the panorama of the past, the present, and the future all-at-once...He's already there...

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.—I Corinthians 13:12

Take a few minutes to enjoy the Casting Crowns song, You’re Already There…

"When I’m lost in the mystery...to You my future is a memory,"

Was this encouraging to you? Please feel free to leave a comment in the box below, I'd love to hear from you!

Linking up with Holley Gerth's Coffee for Your Heart as an encourager.

we have the past to look forward to

“We cannot, Lord, Thy purpose see, but all is well that’s done by Thee.” –William Lister (1867)
"All your sins were future when Jesus died."
"All that will be is not now yet."
"Faith is being able to visualize as true and real already what God is yet to do."
"Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees."

The Lord Jesus Christ has used a simple timeline document to help me gain a wide-angle view of life…a little glimpse of what it will be like when we step out of time and into eternity and see the panorama of the past, the present, and the future all-at-once…

Beginning at the beginning…

One way of doing this is begin to document a timeline of your life. I have shared the first 10 years of my life timeline in the photo on this blog. You can do it too. Take a look at your life in 10 year segments, asking God to reveal to you all the spiritual mile markers in your life…broken places, hurts, disappointments, accomplishments, and joyful times…to help you see that God had been there all along…His name is Emmanuel—God with us…His grace is sufficient. 

To accomplish this task, I discovered a very helpful tool for a “Timeline Template” through Microsoft. It’s free, and it’s very easy to use, the text boxes expand to whatever size you need, and the arrows on the boxes can be moved to any location on the timeline.  You can duplicate the timeline, and save as a new page for each decade of your life. The link for this “Timeline Template” really helped me to get my thoughts on paper, and God has used it to heal me in so many ways…http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/timeline-TC001016265.aspx

The Hebrew concept of time is like a person rowing a boat. We see where we have been, we back into the future. I can clearly see that God has been there with me all along. I am not stuck in the past, I am rowing into the future, moving forward, proactive, with my focus, my mindset, on God, who is sovereign. He sees the past, the present, and the future all-at-once. 

Morning after morning in my quiet time, I bring myself back to the Cross of Christ…as I bow before Him, I experience anew His forgiveness, redemption, mercy, and grace, as I sense His blood dripping over the Crown of Thorns pressed into His brow, onto my heart, covering my sin, and I get up from my knees wearing His Robe of righteousness as I face the day ahead…rowing into the future. 

What are your thoughts? 

In what ways might the Lord use a timeline to help you gain a wide-angle view of life?

living this day in the light of eternity

Four-faced clock in Grand Central Terminal New York City

"You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed."—Psalm 139:16

"If an instant of time be conceived, which cannot be divided into the smallest particles of moments, that alone is it, which may be called present. Which yet flies with such speed from future to past, as not to be lengthened out with the least stay. For if it be, it is divided into past and future. The present hath no space."—The Confessions of St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Book XI, Chapter XV, There Is Only A Moment of Present Time

"When we step out of time and into eternity everything will be one big panorama. We will see the past; we will see the present; we will see the future—perfectly unfolded and it will all work together for good to those who love God—and it will make sense."—Pastor Ray C. Stedman

Heavenly Father, I praise you for your amazing sovereignty. You wove me together in my mother’s womb, saw me before I was born, and have already recorded every day of my life. You charted the path ahead of me and laid out every moment before a single day had passed. I don’t have to fear because you are with me, before me, behind me, surrounding me. Help me to live this day in the light of eternity, amen.

How about you? In what ways do you seek to live each day in the light of eternity?