Day 6/December 30 Devotion

Reflection by Sharon Glass,
Vicar at Christ Lutheran Church,
Washington, D.C.

Two ways that time is expressed in the Bible is through the Greek words kairos and chronos. Kairos is God’s time…an appointed/an opportune moment/season in time—quality time. Chronos is our human time…a specific amount of time measured in seconds, hours, days, years, decades, millennia—quantity time. I remember as a young girl, my mother would frequently say, “You’ll see—time goes faster and faster as you get older.” Of course, time seemed to move soooo slow…waiting to be a teenager at 13, earning the coveted driver’s license at 16, finally becoming “legal” at 21. That’s chronos time.

The year about to end, 2020, has seemed for many people like a thousand years, dragging on and on, one unwelcomed event after another. “When will this year come to an end—2021 must hold hope,” is the frequent comment that has rested upon many hearts. Yet for God, who rules over all time and space, “one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.” That’s kairos time. The promise that is referred to in 2 Peter is not limited by our quantitative human chronos time. God’s promise is a qualitative patience. God patiently waits for us to respond to God’s invitation to embrace God’s love, understanding, compassion, grace. God’s time is infinite in waiting for our season to respond to God’s promise of eternal life…a promise made manifest through the sacrifice of God’s blessed son on the cross. 

Meditation

Sitting upright in a comfortable position with your feet firmly grounded, slowly breathe in filling your abdomen to a count of five, then slowly release that breath to a count of seven, as you practice this meditation three times. 

Slowly and intentionally inhale God’s infinite promise of love, understanding, compassion, grace and eternal life, then slowly and intentionally exhale the unsettled turbulence of 2020. 

2 Peter 3:8-9

But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 

Questions to Ponder

1. After reading the reflection, how has your perception of time, human versus God’s, changed? 
2. What does it mean to you that God is patient, waiting on you and with you? 
3. As you practice the meditation, what stirs within you through the inhaling and exhaling? 

Silence for Reflection

Prayer

Gracious and tranquil God, as we move into a new year filled with new hope, may we be patient with all Children of God as we experience your patient waiting on us and remember your infinite promise to us all. Amen.