The Sacredness of Time
written by: Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Time is an Advent theme because it passes as we wait for the Messiah. Throughout Scripture, time is described as created by God and offered as a divine gift. Time is part of our spirituality of tithing. Too often, when tithing is mentioned, one thinks of money. The Hebrew Bible describes the tithe as a tenth of one’s income. Yet, the Sabbath is also a form of tithing. Honoring the Sabbath day is tithing one-seventh of our time to God. While we wait in Advent anticipation, we worship God on the Sabbath and give our time in prayer throughout the week.
Tithing our time is not easy in our fast-paced society. Dictionary of Christian Spirituality, Ruth Haley Barton confirms, “In a contemporary culture where time is experienced as a thing to be managed rather than a thing to be enjoyed, a problem to be fixed rather than a blessing to be received, a place of scarcity rather than abundance, how do we receive time as the gift that it is, learning how to live faithfully in time, honoring God with the time of our lives?” Tithing our time requires us to see that our time is God’s, and we are blessed to be given it as a gift.
As a gift, time must be respected and nurtured. I am grateful for those who taught me how to manage my time. Proper management shows respect for the time God has given us. Time management allows us to accomplish more in God’s name. Yet even proper management can have unintended consequences. The more we do, the more that is expected of us. We become anxious when we tightly schedule too many activities in a day. We become exhausted and less creative when we plan too many activities in a given week. Sabbath relaxation allows us to refresh, renewing our hearts and minds. Balancing rest with a dedicated schedule provides a faithful use of our life moments.
In the last few days of Advent, reflect on how you manage your time. Are you wasteful? Are you getting enough rest? Does thinking of the Sabbath as a tithe invite you to consider individual moments sacred? Prayerfully ask God to help you find the balance between work, rest, family, and personal time. When you experience your healthy balance, life will feel whole and sacred.
