As each day passes by I find myself more and more convinced that there is a time for everything. I'm also becoming convinced that there are only a few of us who have the gift to know "What time it is." Before you read further please understand that I am not one of those people. :)
One of my favorite biblical passages is Ecclesiastes Chapter 3. I must remind myself of this passage especially when I am disheartened by what I see around me. And what I see around me is not a good picture. Young people have been dying in the streets of our community almost every week for the past few years. You would think that the urgency of the issue would catapult us into a unified collective action but instead it has done quite the opposite. And the bottom for us... the breaking point seems to be no where in sight. How many more lives must be snatched up before it becomes overwhelmingly gross and intolerable? I find my heart asking... do we love the children at all?
Another unfortunate reality is that am I slowly losing confidence in people. And this reality practically punched me in the face a few months ago. I mean literally one day I woke up and realized just how deeply disgusted I was with people. Now of course this means that I would need to be disgusted with myself because I am made from the same stuff. And understand that I am disgusted with myself which is why I am on red alert. Now on face value a comment like this would be taken as very NEGATIVE and maybe even alarming to some but I would push back by saying it is my willingness to admit that this is what's happening in me that is causing me to take heed to "What time it is."
It is time for me to stop and be still. It is time for me to listen rather than speak. It is time to be in the present and not stuck in the past.
I feel as if I have been wanting something better to come out of the community when it is not capable of giving something better at this TIME. I must accept that the TIME IS NOT YET. I have been trying to force a square piece into a circle. Now that I am able to accept that the TIME IS NOT YET for this city I can move on and only asks that God make the day of Chester's liberation come swiftly if at all possible. And as I say this the Word reminds me kindly "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven...He has made every thing beautiful in His time..."
