Uplook - August 9, 2025
Happy Sunny Seattle Saturday,
We returned safely from Southeast Asia early this week and have been trying to catch up on both work and sleep. It made me think about "time" and how our lives are so ordered by it and the challenges crossing so many time zones create because our circadian rhythms are confused about day and night. Just a couple of thoughts to share with you...
Could it be that the world around us has a form of spiritual jet lag because of the darkness which sin brings to so many human hearts. Simply put, it drops us out of rhythm with God, the creator of the entire universe and as such we are always striving to get things "right" again. And could it be that when we are saved, we step into the light of God's Word and kingdom and while it may take some time...our rhythms of life begin to readjust to that which God intended from the very beginning. Something to ponder for sure.
And consider that this majestic and wonderful creator God which we serve actually exists outside the realm of time itself. In fact, time was created by Him (consider Genesis 1). And yet, He chooses to enter into time both in creation and the sustaining of the same. He further enters in speaking to humans and ultimately entered time and space in the person of Jesus, who became flesh and dwelt among us, giving His life be put us back into "rhythm" with God's eternal plans. That means that what we see as linear ...using words like before, after, etc. are all seen by God at once. It is almost mind boggling that such a God loves each of us as individuals and still steps into time to speak to and walk with us through life.
Consider Jesus' words...which I will share first directly from the King James Bible and then in a paraphrase by Eugene Peterson.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28–30.
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Eugene H. Peterson
May we each recover the rhythms of God's grace and time while walking in the light.
God bless you all,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
We returned safely from Southeast Asia early this week and have been trying to catch up on both work and sleep. It made me think about "time" and how our lives are so ordered by it and the challenges crossing so many time zones create because our circadian rhythms are confused about day and night. Just a couple of thoughts to share with you...
Could it be that the world around us has a form of spiritual jet lag because of the darkness which sin brings to so many human hearts. Simply put, it drops us out of rhythm with God, the creator of the entire universe and as such we are always striving to get things "right" again. And could it be that when we are saved, we step into the light of God's Word and kingdom and while it may take some time...our rhythms of life begin to readjust to that which God intended from the very beginning. Something to ponder for sure.
And consider that this majestic and wonderful creator God which we serve actually exists outside the realm of time itself. In fact, time was created by Him (consider Genesis 1). And yet, He chooses to enter into time both in creation and the sustaining of the same. He further enters in speaking to humans and ultimately entered time and space in the person of Jesus, who became flesh and dwelt among us, giving His life be put us back into "rhythm" with God's eternal plans. That means that what we see as linear ...using words like before, after, etc. are all seen by God at once. It is almost mind boggling that such a God loves each of us as individuals and still steps into time to speak to and walk with us through life.
Consider Jesus' words...which I will share first directly from the King James Bible and then in a paraphrase by Eugene Peterson.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28–30.
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Eugene H. Peterson
May we each recover the rhythms of God's grace and time while walking in the light.
God bless you all,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
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