“Daylight
Saving Time:
Only the
government would believe that
you could
cut a foot off the top of a blanket,
sew it to
the bottom, and have a longer blanket.”
Anonymous
This Sunday morning, at 01:59:59.9 standard
time, to be exact, the ‘official’ clock will jump forward to 03:00 Daylight
Standard Time (DST). Technically, that day will contain only 23 hours, and we
will not regain that hour until the switch back from DST to standard time this
autumn. – Another way to say that is: “Don’t
forget to ‘spring forward’ this weekend!”
The pros and cons of this shift in time have
been debated for centuries. Benjamin Franklin himself suggested such a shift in
order to save candles. His suggestion was meant satirically, but it has been
taken seriously ever since.
Although the shift to DST has not evidenced
any modern energy savings (surprisingly), it has proven profitable for some
sectors of commerce. Retailers and sporting goods makers have profited, as
people have shown themselves more likely to shop and participate in outdoor afternoon
sports. So, DST is good for Sears and the local driving range. Remember that
when you struggle to get up an hour earlier this Sunday. It’ll make you feel
better.
For most of us, DST is both an inconvenience
and a blessing. We enjoy a later sunset, but we bemoan the loss of an hour’s
sleep. Beyond that, we find ourselves forced to wander the house fixing all the
clocks that weren’t automatically updated through the Internet. It’s a little
tedious and a bit annoying.
In the Scriptures, ‘light’ and ‘darkness’ are
used figuratively to describe two spiritual spheres: righteousness (‘light’)
and unrighteousness (‘darkness’). In Christ at salvation, believers are granted
full positional righteousness – they are joined to Him Who is the True Light of
the world, Jesus Christ. Indeed, they are transferred from the kingdom of
darkness to the kingdom of light. Also, in Christ at salvation, by the power of
the Holy Spirit, believers are able to experience and express, in an increasing
way, a practical righteousness, by doing those actions that express genuine
love for God. In this, they manifest the light of Christ to a sin-darkened
world.
These two realities for the believer –
positional righteousness and an increasing practical righteousness – are called
justification and sanctification, and they sum up the believer’s current
experience. Paul says it this way in Ephesians: “You were once darkness, but
now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” The first part of
this verse (“you were once
darkness, but now you are light in the Lord) speaks of that work of grace that
began our life in Christ and sustains it now and for eternity. The second part
of the verse (“walk as
children of light.”) speaks
of our responsibility. We are called to respond in obedience to the promptings
of the Holy Spirit. We are to ‘walk in a manner worthy of the calling with
which we have been called.’
Choosing light over darkness is not always
easy. Choosing righteousness is not always easy. But because of who we are in
Christ, because of who we have already become, we can do it! We can
choose the light. We can, and we should.
This Sunday morning, as your alarm sounds an
hour earlier than normal and you struggle against the temptation to roll over
and pull the blankets over your head, let your mind to drift back to this idea.
Remember that God has called you to be a child of the light and choose to walk
as one!
“You
are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
a holy
nation, His own special people,
that you
may proclaim the praises of Him
who called
you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
1 Peter
2:9
-- Christian Pilet
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