Two Clocks

The other night, I dreamed about two analog clocks. Each clock was the same except for one obvious difference. The first clock had only the hour hand, and the second clock had only the minute hand. Very strange indeed.

Peace and contentment settled upon me when I focused on the first clock. It seemed to radiate a calm assurance that all is well. But when I focused on the second clock, it caused me to become agitated and distracted. The first clock had a quiet humming sound. The second clock rattled and clanked like an engine that was out of tune.

During my morning devotions, I asked the Lord to explain this dream. The answer was immediate and enlightening. It seems the second clock represented the frantic pace of life I had been keeping. Living from minute to minute without proper rest and meditation, I had become frazzled and irritable.

The first clock represented a broader look at life. Living hourly brought a sense of continuity and peace. By living hourly, the pace of life slowed down and provided more opportunities for planning and reflection.

Then a revelation came to me that was stunning. Jesus often spoke about hours, while the disciples lived for the minutes. As Jesus taught in John 5:25 – “Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” Jesus was saying that a time was coming when the dead will rise spiritually and physically. And again in John 5:28 – “Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice.”

Jesus was saying that a time was coming when the dead will rise spiritually and physically. What an amazing teaching. These thoughts would take deep concentration and mature study to comprehend. But the truth passed over the heads of most of the listeners. Jesus was revered in clock number one.

However, as Jesus taught about the end of time, the disciples were concerned about mealtime. They lived in the immediate, the now. Their second to second lifestyle caused them to misinterpret many of the teachings of Jesus. Their interest in dinnertime, lunchtime, and bedtime, caused them to misunderstand Christ’s teachings of seedtime, harvesttime, and lifetime. They were trapped in minutiae. Jesus saw the whole picture.

Now today, I ask you which clock orders your life? People who live by the second clock struggle to stay “up to the minute.” Their lives are crushed by the world view where having the newest and best of all that is produced is worth the cost. They waste hours in lines waiting for the premier showing of a movie or the sale of new technology. They squander hours to live a second to second life.

Or do you focus on the first clock? This is where Jesus reveals righteous values and humble living. The hourly clock reminds us that this life is short, and eternity is our Hope. The actions of today impact our residence of tomorrow.

The clock of life is ticking. Be wise, and make every effort to please God and to live for Him.