David writes: My times are in your hand (Ps. 31:15). To him it was a big consolation, the assurance that during all the times of his life he was in God’s hand – in the times during which he was healthy and prosperous, but also in his biggest disappointments and anxiety. He was sure of this consolation because he had committed his life into God’s hand: Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God (Ps. 31:5).
In the Bible we read about the “time” when something happened, or in the “time” when a certain person had lived. For example: As it was in the time of Noah so shall it be in the days of the Son of Man. (Luke 17:26).
We can speak of the “times” in our lives: the time when I was small, when I went to school, the time when we raised our children and the time when we played with our grandchildren. Then there are also the “times” of joy, but also of suffering and grief.
We also have the wonderful consolation, because if we had committed our lives into God’s hand we can also say: “My times are in God’s hand.” It applies to what had happened, what is happening and also what will happen in future. To commit yourself into the hand of God means that you trust Him fully and surrender your life to his control. We have the promise: Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear (Is. 59:1).
When the Bible speaks of, for example, “the time of Noah”, it’s not only about Noah, but also about what had happened to other people or nature during that time. Just as it is today when we speak of “the time” of Hitler; then we don’t only think about him, but about the millions of people who had died during the war and in the gas chambers.
Therefore it’s not only I myself who are in God’s hand in “my times”. It applies to everything in “my times”: the place where I grow up, the people around me. Also the things that may cause me great anxiety, things that may go wrong in our country, disease and death of loved ones, drought and floods. If we are children of God, we are not delivered to fate or to Evil. Even if we suffer or things around us go badly, we may still believe that everything is in God’s hand. When we know that we cannot do otherwise than to use our hands in service to God. We must make the best use of every opportunity: … making the best use of the time (Eph. 5:16). We are saved by grace for a reason: ... in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do (Eph. 2:8-10). We must continue Jesus’ work on earth. For his work we cannot spare our hands.
Jesus split the time. Now we do not talk of the time something happened but as the date before Christ (BC) of after Christ (AD). As a human being Jesus was also in God’s hand. But He did not spare his own hands. For us He allowed that his hands be pierced by nails. By his hands He hung on the cross. That He did so that we, during our longest time, i.e. eternity, can be with Him.
Our heavenly Father, thank you that we may always be in your care, during all the times of our lives. Amen
