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7 September 2007
Part of a themed week on "Challenges in mission".
A new perspective on time - 2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: To the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day.
Mañana is a phrase you soon pick up in Latin America. It is Spanish for "tomorrow" but can also be translated as "later". It could therefore just as easily mean this evening, tomorrow, next week, next year or never.
One of my biggest frustrations was becoming accustomed to a new concept of time in that part of the world. Nothing started on time. Turning up at an event an hour late I would often be the first to arrive and most likely be asked why I had arrived so early.
While in Bolivia I decided to have a party to celebrate my birthday and wanted everyone to be there by eight o'clock. By this time I had learnt enough about the culture to know that if I advertised it as starting at this time people wouldn't arrive until ten at the earliest. I had invited a mixture of nationalities and decided to try an experiment.
All the Bolivians invited were told to arrive at six while the Europeans and North Americans were given the correct time of eight. It worked just as I had hoped and everyone arrived on time!
God's timing is also different to ours. So often we become frustrated that things fail to happen when we would like them too. A job doesn't come along, our wait for a partner seems to be never ending, or prayers for healing seemingly go unanswered. The truth is that God sees time from an eternal perspective. He also knows what we need and, just as importantly, when we need it. Trust in his perfect timing.
Father thank you that you are outside time and not constrained by it. Forgive me for my impatience, for the way I often live in the past or the future rather than enjoying each day. Please help me to place my life in your hands and to know the peace that comes from trusting you. Amen.
Written by Adam Pope, Volunteer Coordinator for Latin Link
Part of a themed week on "Challenges in mission".
A new perspective on time - 2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: To the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day.
Mañana is a phrase you soon pick up in Latin America. It is Spanish for "tomorrow" but can also be translated as "later". It could therefore just as easily mean this evening, tomorrow, next week, next year or never.
One of my biggest frustrations was becoming accustomed to a new concept of time in that part of the world. Nothing started on time. Turning up at an event an hour late I would often be the first to arrive and most likely be asked why I had arrived so early.
While in Bolivia I decided to have a party to celebrate my birthday and wanted everyone to be there by eight o'clock. By this time I had learnt enough about the culture to know that if I advertised it as starting at this time people wouldn't arrive until ten at the earliest. I had invited a mixture of nationalities and decided to try an experiment.
All the Bolivians invited were told to arrive at six while the Europeans and North Americans were given the correct time of eight. It worked just as I had hoped and everyone arrived on time!
God's timing is also different to ours. So often we become frustrated that things fail to happen when we would like them too. A job doesn't come along, our wait for a partner seems to be never ending, or prayers for healing seemingly go unanswered. The truth is that God sees time from an eternal perspective. He also knows what we need and, just as importantly, when we need it. Trust in his perfect timing.
Father thank you that you are outside time and not constrained by it. Forgive me for my impatience, for the way I often live in the past or the future rather than enjoying each day. Please help me to place my life in your hands and to know the peace that comes from trusting you. Amen.
Written by Adam Pope, Volunteer Coordinator for Latin Link
