St. Helen’s Daily Lenten Devotional
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Galatians 4:4-8
Most people have a calendar or a datebook, either the old fashioned paper variety or an online version. Even during the ‘stay-at-home’ realities of the last year, there were things we didn’t want to miss…doctor’s appointments, zoom meetings, birthdays…For certain things, it is important to note when something is planned, the day and the time and if it is going to co-ordinate with other activities. We want to be ‘on time’!
The ancient Greeks used two words for time: chronos and kairos. Chronos, from which we get the word chronological, refers to the passage, or progress of time, thus the ‘hands of time’ or in this digital age, the clicking of numbers! Kairos denotes the right or favourable moment for action. In Christian theology it can describe a spiritual opportunity. Paul Tillich, in his work Interpretation of History, and many other preachers and theologians, have discussed kairos as “God’s time” and the “fullness time”, as in the passage from Galatians.
Jesus came at the right time. God’s time. Sometimes God’s schedule seems to mesh with ours. Sometimes, not so much. Often we would like God to act quickly, especially in response to our prayers: “O Lord, give me patience, right now!” And we want God to act according to our wishes. After all, don’t we know what is best, for ourselves and for others? God always listens but doesn’t always follow our timetable!
Answers will be given… change, effected… healing and wholeness will come, but according to God’s will and in God’s time, the right time.
“Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, it is the only time we have.” Art Buchwald
Of Interest
KAIROS Canada: An ecumenical movement for ecological justice and human rights.
See their website: kairoscanada.org