We in Western Society view time as a line that stretches forward and backward in both directions, and what we experience now is a given point or dot on that line – called the present.
We make a clear distinction between something that happened some time ago in the past, something that is taking place right now in the present, and something that will take place later on in the future.
But to the ancient Hebrews, time was viewed more like a rhythm or like a melody, and when you begin to consider what actually makes up a rhythm or a melody it all makes pretty good sense.
One beat of a drum is insignificant on its own because it carries no meaning, it is just a loud noise. A single beat is only important in relation to the beats that have gone before and the beats that are to come. It is only important and only carries meaning when viewed as a part of an overall rhythm of events.
Likewise in a melody, one note on its own is nothing but noise.
But in relation to the notes that come before and the notes that come after, each note has relevance and is a part of an overall meaning and scheme of things.
When we conceive of time as a rhythm rather than a straight line, any one single moment is connected to, and contains all of the significance of the previous moments and all of the significance of the moments still yet to come because that’s what a rhythm is.
A rhythm is not a rhythm unless there are moments both before and after any one single moment. A rhythm is dependent on the moments behind you and the moments in front of you for significance. Without those moments both before and after there is no rhythm and no significance or meaning.
This is how the ancient Hebrews understood time.
The past, present and future are connected to each other.
Each moment in time, is only significant in relation to the moments that have gone before, and the moments that are yet to come.
Time is a journey of “movement”, a rhythmic pulse, with each “life moment” an important part of an overall melody that is significant only when viewed as a whole.
Imagine you went to listen to the symphony orchestra playing in a large auditorium. You take your seat and the music begins to play.
But to your dismay, the tones are very melancholic and sombre.
After five minutes of this you can’t take it any-more and so you get up and leave. But because you did not stay long enough to hear the victorious and the triumphant crescendo that finalises the piece, you will have interpreted the significance of the music incorrectly and will not have benefited from the true meaning of the piece as a whole.
The past and the future, the perfect and the imperfect are actually one piece of music. Time is a great symphony created by God.
There is ebb and flow, there are both melancholic whispers, and there are thunderous raptures of sound. It is not possible to correctly interpret the music until the symphony is over. Each bar of music, each beat of the rhythm, each musical note, each melody line must be viewed and interpreted as a whole...... only then will it all make sense, only then will we understand its true meaning.
Likewise......
Any single beat in the rhythm of your life, that you are facing right now or have ever faced in your lifetime, any one single circumstance or situation, any individual crisis, any momentary heartache, any one single tragedy, or any one single moment in time of any kind must never be judged on its own, because it only truly has meaning when it is understood as a whole, when all of the beats of the past are combined with all of the beats of the future.
Because each beat of your life is dependent on the beats that have gone before, and is dependent on those beats that are yet to come for their true significance and meaning.
Every beat of our life, only makes sense when it is connected to the whole of the symphony, and only carries meaning when viewed in the light of eternity.
Do not pass judgement on the beats of your life that have gone before….. because you have not yet heard the beats to come.
You do not yet know, if that circumstance or situation that you are facing right now will not rebound to the glory of God.
You do not yet know, if that so called tragedy that has left you devastated for the time being, will not yet still bring about something of incredible beauty.
You do not yet know, if that black and white heartache that has ripped you apart at this small moment in time will not yet blossom into full colour of abundant joy.
Because everything that you have faced up until now, all that you can see at this moment, is but a small part of an overall symphony of His mercy and His grace.
