There are two different ways to look at life from the perspective of time. Our lives are measured in minutes and hours, but it is also measured in moments. In this article we will discuss why we must wind the clock.
Winding the clock isn’t a phrase we use often anymore. Most of us have electric clocks now. They may look like wind-up clocks with twelve numbers and hands that move around to indicate hours and minutes. But most of the clocks you can purchase in the store are digital and just display the numbers to indicate the time.
On a Mission
A couple of years ago, my husband was on a mission to find a wind-up clock. I don’t remember the precise reason . . . we’d probably had a power outage and he was just trying to make sure the clock wouldn’t be impacted in the future. Regardless, we searched throughout the clock section of our local department stores and found none.
Not long ago I read a Bible Study entitled Win The Day by Mark Batterson. It’s based on his book by the same name. In it, he provided seven ways to make sure you make the most of each day. One of them was to “wind the clock”.
God’s Perspective
God’s view of time is entirely different from ours. He is eternal, with no beginning and no end. He created “time” when He created our world . . . evening and morning, the first day. Until then, there was no “time”.
In heaven, there is only eternity.
God knows our lives from beginning to end. Before we were born, He already prepared our tomorrows. He lined up all of the things we need to make it through each day.
Our Perspective
Here’s the main thing we need to know about time . . . the one thing we need to understand in order to get the most out of each day: time is measured in minutes; life is measured in moments.
What does that mean? How can we make the most of life, then? How can we be good stewards of the time God has given us?
We need to make the most of every minute. But . . . we also need to make the most of every moment. We must be aware of everything happening right here and right now.
In addition, when we keep a constant eye on eternity, we are reminded to pay attention to the moments.
The Greek Perspective
The ancient Greeks had two words for time – chronos and kairos.
Chronos is clock time. It counts seconds, minutes, and hours – in sequential fashion – with past, present and a future. We spend the majority of our days trying to cram as much as possible into each of our minutes and hours.
Kairos is different. This is where the moments come into play. In Ephesians 5:16, we are told to “redeem the time”. Those are the special moments of life. Perhaps it’s the prompting of the Holy Spirit, telling you this moment is special, and reminding you to pay attention, to remember.
Making the Most of Your Time
Chronos is about making good use of the time you have. It’s about doing the right things at the right time. Filling your minutes and hours doing productive things.
Kairos is about making the time for the good things, making memories, and smelling the roses. It’s the memory of your first kiss, the birth of your child, the smell of rain, your first Christmas as a family, summers at the lake. It’s less about getting to your destination in record time and more about the journey – who you become along the way, who you meet along the way.
Think back over your life . . . what do you remember most? The chronos or the kairos? The time God gives us on earth is important – we must use it to further His kingdom, to accomplish the things He has called us to do. But our kairos . . . the moments . . . our memories . . . those are precious. Those are the times we don’t forget, things that help define who we are.
Don’t forget to wind your clocks – both chronos and kairos. Time is measured in minutes; your life is measured in moments.
What about you? Do you remember your chronos or kairos minutes the most? Feel free to leave a comment.
If you would like to be notified of new posts, please sign up for our newsletter.