Time Waits for No Man

There is a familiar saying, “Time waits for no man”; the proverbial phrase originally read, “Time and tide waits for no man”. It appeared around the year 1395, from Chaucer’s prologue to The Clerk’s Tales.  Nothing can stop time or the movement of the tides at sea. The clock keeps ticking whether we are busy or idle.  I kept hearing from people, as Christmas drew near, that the holiday season crept up on them so fast, and they were just not ready; neither in mind nor with their money. If only they had another week or so to prepare, but it was too late. Christmas arrived and for some, much was left undone.  Most people carry big financial burdens during this season and have promised themselves to be more prepared next year!

Have you noticed that even our youth voice that they wish time would slow down? They seem somewhat forlorn that their childhood days are no longer enjoyed in slow peaceful leisure; as time goes drifting by, but as if they are always running to catch a fast train. Once they jump on, it races at high speeds through the days, months and years of their lives as if flipping through the pages of a book. They never get to stop and read the pages or enjoy the colorful pictures.

Each year comes and goes with lightning speed. This year has come to a close and as I write the hours, minutes and seconds are ticking down to the end of the year. There is a melancholy sadness that hangs over people as one year draws to a close. They ponder another year gone by, one year older; and somehow wish they could slow down the clock in their lives. It is a time of recollection and media will usually give us a peek at the year’s highlights and tragedies.

Thursday, December 31, one million will gather in Time Square and party on the cold New York streets. The enormous crowds wait in anticipation for the glittering New Year’s Eve Ball to begin its drop at exactly 11:59 p.m. In unison, they will begin the count down.  As the final second passes and we enter into 2016 everyone screams, “Happy New Year!” They are joined by billions of people around the world watching their televisions from home.

Traditionally, especially in English speaking countries, to say goodbye to the old year, at the stroke of midnight people would sing, Ault Lang Syne. The ancient song was taken from a poem penned by Robert Burns, a national poet of Scotland, in 1788 and sung to an old folk song. It can be translated to English, meaning, “Old long ago”, “Old times” or “Days gone by”; the song reminisces long standing friendships, the original goes:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stoup!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Thus, we enter a New Year, some will spend the first day of the year hung over, many will make New Year resolutions and others will hit the road running, driven by new goals and excitement for what lies ahead. They are like a disciplined runner at the starting line of a new race. They feel the excitement and anticipation and can hardly wait to get going.  They have waited for the seconds to tick down, a gentleman yells, “On your marks, get set”, the gun pops a small explosion, “GO!”

What will this New Year bring into our lives? Only God knows.  We can look to Him who is outside of time. He tells us in his Word to redeem the time, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16-18). In this New Year, make the most of your time, let it count for eternity . . .

Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last. And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be, if the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.” – C.T Studd

-C.Wren