TIME

To say I have been apprehensive about this election would be an understatement. For I love this country, it is my home, and a place of freedoms and prosperity unknown to any other nation in the world. However, I also know that both this country and the American Church have been on a slippery slope to judgment. Thus I desired, and asked the Lord for mercy; for a little more time. Time that this country and the Church would have a little more time to repent, that judgment’s hand would be stayed. For as the prophet Amos saith, “Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! To what end is it for you? The day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it?” (Amos 5:18-20) I desired a little more time.

And as I, like many, tracked the election results hoping in numb anticipation for a result that I knew in my heart would not be, desiring a little more time, a word came to me. “What would a little more time do? Would it awaken them, or would they continue to slumber? Perhaps it is time.” And although not a joyful word, my spirit found comfort. Yes, comfort. Comfort because although my flesh would rather not see such days, my spirit knows that such days are inevitable. I, like most, do not take pleasure in suffering; I have an aversion to suffering. Neither do I take joy in observing others suffer or participating in suffering. But I also know that true Christianity is birthed in persecution, in suffering. If refines and defines us, and it is an absolute necessity.

As for time, it is not our friend. Christ declared that unless He shorted the days, no flesh would be saved, but for the elects sake He shorted the days. (Mark 13:20) I’m reminded of a parable that the Master gave concerning ten virgins; five wise and five foolish. Five took oil for their lamps, the other five neglected too. They were given but one task, to watch and wait for the bridegrooms coming. Yet, because the bridegroom tarried, they all fell to slumbering, and slept. And only did they arise from there sleeping at the bridegrooms coming as someone yelled with a loud voice, “AWAKE, for the bridegroom cometh.” Still, five where unprepared, for they had neglected to take oil. And as the five foolish went about to seek the oil the bridegroom came. (Matthew 25:1-13) A little more time; a little more time to slumber and sleep.

My friend time is not our friend. It is high time we awake out of our slumbering, “for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” (Romans 13:11) For whether we are ready or not, judgment is coming. For “judgment [shall] run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” (Amos 5:24, my brackets) What we are currently feeling is but the birthing pains of a world in travail. The days ahead are dark indeed, but we who know the Lord God shall be strong and do exploits, but we need to awake. We need to remember that this world is not our home, and we should not be getting comfortable; after all we are just passing through. And if we are a little too comfortable, discomfort is a good thing. Because although the world goes on continuing as she always has, we need to be very aware that a little more time, we do not have.

In His Service,

~ Jason Olvera