My professor talked today about a concept i’m particularly intrigued by:  the necessity of time.We know that God simply “is” - he exists outside of time and space, is the “I am” and is everlasting.  We also know that the truths of God, for example, his “faithfulness” - is a truth regardless of whether his creation validates it.  It simply is.  He is eternally faithful, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

But how do we, as finite creatures, witness and experience God’s faithfulness?  How is faithfullness in and of itself experienced?  Only through time.  A year from now, I will know and understand more of the faithfulness of God then I know today.  In 10 years even more.  But at what point will I exhaust the inexhaustible?  I cannot!  His faithfulness is infinite and perfect, and inexaustable.  This is why time is a necessary aspect for His creation, because it’s the only means we have to learn and understand His truths more fully.  This is why we have eternity.  1 billion years into eternity, we shall know more than in 2006 of his faithfulness, but shall never exhaust it!  Eternity in and of itself is a necessity to continue to know and understand our God who is infinite.

I think this is a pretty cool thing to dwell upon - why mankind has and needs time, and what exactly time adds to the equation.  We know time exists in heaven.  The tree of life, spoken of in Revelation brings new fruit each “month” - and there are several examples of space and time in apostolic visions and other scripture.  It seems extraordinarily neat to think of our need for the everlasting to progressivly learn more and more about the inexaustable.

Special thanks to my prof CL Mitchell for this insight.

…”and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom he recieves’ - Hebrews 12:5-6 (Job 5:17, Proverbs 3:11)

It’s important to keep the concept of God as our father at the forefront of our lives, as we face various trials.  If we are sons and daughters of God, then we should expect discipline, as the author of Hebrews points out.  “…for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” (7b)

The author progresses to urge us to remember we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, and exhorts us to be subject to our heavenly father in the same respect.  Sometimes we can become confused by what appears to be difficult or tumultuous circumstances or situations, but I think it’s important we remember to rest on the promise of our Father in heaven.  “…but He disciplines us for our own good, so that we may share His holiness.” (10b)  The fruit of such discipline is a peace only given by God.

It’s not always easy to be joyful in such times, often God leads me directly to where I’ve fallen short or failed to devote myself fully to Him.  Praise be to the God and Father who loves us enough to build us through discipline.