Of Time and a Season Part 2

[HKHaugan]

Of Time and a Season Part 2

 Why all this talk about time when we are facing a national crisis? Because following God in it depends on knowing what time we have and how to use it.

So, let’s continue looking at our time subject spiritually. Again, there are two kind of time, world time, chronos, and God’s time, Kairos. A world time event is what we do, where it takes place, who we meet, when we do it and why we do it. And there are two kinds of events; the expected and the unexpected. The expected has a planned agenda. The unexpected is what happens on the way to, during and after the planned event. Both events happen in a larger context. Spiritually, the larger context is a season, God’s timing, Kairos. Cutting it all down simply, we might say that everything we see and do happens in a spiritual context. So, it is our spiritual outlook that determines how we handle the specifics of both the expected and unexpected events in the world.

Jesus speaks to this quite directly: “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”   “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her (Luke 10:38-42).”  Our relationship with Jesus is the context for everything else.

As a young boy I remember hearing my mother mention a next-door neighbor who was fastidious in her housekeeping and general attitude. She referred to her as a “greiets Marta,”  In Norwegian, a managing Martha. Martha’s general outlook was doing right instead of being right. It was religious not relational. If we are spiritually relational, we will be spiritually responsible with the events we are given both expected an unexpected. This is not to make us look good but to honor God first and then enter every event honoring those with whom we come in contact. Fastidiousness is an attitude and honor a season.

We organize events by clock and calendar. We need to know that this new concept of time gives a right way to act and react. Paul’s revelation in 1Cor.1:30 shows this new spirituality; a new righteousness, a new wisdom and a new holiness. These are seasons. Being righteous is actually being faithful. Faith is being right. “That which does not proceed from faith is sin (Rom.14:23).” It means wisdom is Jesus giving life to the words of Scripture through the Holy Spirit. It means holiness is each of us being set apart for the Lord’s leading. These are seasons when specific events happen. It means redemption is shifting from seeing everything in a worldly context to seeing everything in a spiritual context.

One more thing. Anything that involves the Holy Spirit involves Spiritude. The Holy Spirit is our attitude. That is the Holy Spirit replaces attitude to become Spiritude. So, whatever attitudes populated our pride and fear, those are no longer employed, but displaced, fired. They were past of the old person and replaced by the new creation through spiritual rebirth. Attitudes are temporary. Spiritude is eternal.

If we read what is taking place around us spiritually, that everything happens in a spiritual dimension, then we respond according to the Spirit’s lead. This is Spiritude at work. We may not always get it right, but God has a way of honoring any attempt to put Him first in everything. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven (Eccl.3:1).”  More to come.