Space and Time

So for this one I want to examine both space and time and their mutualities: SPACE IN TIME and TIME IN SPACE.  Before I do this, I should probably define what I mean with those words.  By time, I mean a period that may span anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours to a few months, years, etc.  By space, I don't just mean the vast expanse outside of earth's atmosphere, but a certain distance between two points. 

So for the SPACE IN TIME part.  There will always be at least a minute where you will have nothing going on.  whether walking to class or driving to work.  Another example of space in time is a vacation or even just being between jobs.  What I mean by nothing going on is that you have nothing too important that is tugging at your mind, nothing that can't be held off until you reach your destination.  The importance, then, comes with what we do in those times.  Jesus' ministry was filled with spaces like these, but that doesn't mean that he was any less busy with them, in fact it was those in-between spaces that held the place of most of his ministry.  While traveling from city to city he healed and taught, he saw the needs of the moment and met them.  Each of these points of ministry, Jesus felt the Spirit guide him towards that situation (hearing and healing the blind man, Zacchaeus, etc).  One of the biggest spaces in time is Sabbath.  Jesus did work on the Sabbath and debated the Pharisees about it's laws asking if "it is lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill" (Mark 3:4, NASB).  Doing the good work that God has called us to do should be a focus every day, every moment.  This is what we should do with our spaces in time. 

As for TIME IN SPACE.  Now, I'm not saying then that we should fill our time completely.  Spending time in space is a necessity. That was the reason or idea behind the Sabbath, a day of rest and reflection on the events that have transpired and the prospective events to come.  It was important enough that it was made a law.  Now this doesn't mean that we should stop caring about what is going on around us.  As mentioned before, the Sabbath doesn't mean that we should stop doing work completely, if there is work that you can do, particularly something that is forwarding the Kingdom of God, then we should do that.  But I understand that it can be tiring and again Jesus demonstrates how to handle this.  Jesus intentionally made time for space or SPACE IN TIME.  One example is in Mark.  Jesus intentionally wakes before there was light in the morning, knowing that when the sun rose was when the field workers would wake, and withdrew to a secluded place to be alone and in the quiet (Mark 1:35).  He was there so long that his disciples had to search for him, which could possibly mean that the sun had quite fully risen.  During this entire time he was praying.  Now I don't think this is the same praying that we might think of in today's culture, looking at how messed up its gotten, not saying that where it is is a bad thing either just meaning that I think the meaning of it has changed.  What I mean is Jesus might not have been talking the entire time.  There is a beauty and mystery in silence especially when it is in silent community with God.  God wants a deep and intimate relationship with us and I think that sometimes we forget that even in the best relationships (this means friendships as well) there is silence.  "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10a), he wants that to be enough for us, he wants the fact that "[He] will be exalted among the nations, [He] will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:10b) to be our comfort.  The idea behind prayer is communication, with communication comes silence. Be comfortable in that fact.  Make time to spend with God, and make part of that time simple silence.

Time doesn't stop and the spaces within that time will change in quantity and length.  Use them wisely.  While walking to class, take time to appreciate the beauty of the nature around you. While driving to work listen to music. I don't just mean worship music, though that's great and if you do keep doing it, but I'm going to be honest here not everyone likes worship music 100% of the time.  But find music of a genre that you enjoy that is edifying to you, it may not even be a Christian band (though I don't fully recommend this), but just something that 1) makes you THINK and reflect, 2) allows room for your own personal growth or 3) even just puts you in a good mood to deal with people, because that's where our ministry lies: showing God's love to others.  If you don't want to listen to music then spend time driving in silence, working on becoming aware of any movement of the Spirit and, if felt, responding to it.  The idea is focus.  In your SPACE IN TIME and your TIME IN SPACE, what and where is your focus?