As we celebrate Singapore’s 51st National Day on 9th August, 2016, we thank God for the time of peace, progress and prosperity that we have enjoyed as a nation so far.
Being a country without natural resources, we are very much dependent on our human resource. Our workforce is known to be efficient and hardworking. We observe at least 60 man hours work week. So the term we are used to describe ourselves is: Busy, Busy. Busy!!! We need more time; time to do this and that, time to sleep, time to relax, time for family…
Recently our sister Yeen Lan shared a poem in her prayer update. This poem is by Michel Quoist, entitled: Prayers of Life…
I went out, Lord.
Men and women were coming and going.
Walking and running.
Everything was rushing: cars, trucks, the street, the whole town.
They were rushing not to waste time.
They were rushing after time.
To catch up with time.
To gain time.
Good bye, Sir, excuse me, I haven’t time.
I’ll come back. I can’t wait. I haven’t time.
I must end this letter – I haven’t time.
I’d love to help you, but I haven’t time.
I can’t accept, having no time.
I can’t think, I can’t read, I’m swamped, I haven’t time.
I’d like to pray, but I haven’t time.
You understand, Lord, they simply haven’t the time.
The child is playing, he hasn’t time right now….. Later on….
The schoolboy has his homework to do, he hasn’t time… Later on…
The student has his courses, and so much work….. Later on….
The young man is at his sports, he hasn’t time…. Later on….
The young married man has his new house; he has to fix it up….
He hasn’t time… Later on….
The grandparents have their grandchildren. They haven’t time……
Later on….
They are ill; they have their treatments; they haven’t time… Later on…
They are dying, they have no…..
Too late! …. They have no more time!
And so all men and women run after time, Lord.
They pass through life running – hurried, jostled, overburdened,
frantic, and they never get there. They haven’t time.
In spite of all their efforts they’re still short of time,
Of a great deal of time.
Lord, You must have made a mistake in Your calculations.
There is a big mistake somewhere.
The hours are too short,
The days are too short,
Our lives are too short.
You who are beyond time, Lord, You smile to see us fighting it.
And You know what You are doing.
You make no mistakes in Your distribution of time to men.
You give each one time to do what You want Him to do.
But we must not lose time,
waste time,
kill time,
For time is a gift that You give us,
But a perishable gift,
A gift that does not keep.
Lord, I have time,
I have plenty of time,
All the time that You give me,
The years of my life,
The days of my years,
The hours of my days,
They are all mine.
Mine to fill, quietly, calmly,
But to fill completely, up to the brim,
To offer them to You, that of their insipid water
You may make a rich wine such as You made in Cana of Galilee.
I am not asking You tonight, Lord, for time to do this and then that,
But Your grace to do conscientiously, in the time that You give me, what You want me to do.
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
Rick Toh, Lead Pastor/Elder (YCKC Bulletin 6&7 August 2016)
Sister Yeen Lan, Missionary