Time Capsule
Posted by Richard Harris | | Posted On Monday, March 28, 2011 at 10:52 PM
I was walking around a town square the other day and looked down just below my feet and saw a plaque, it said: Time Capsule buried 1986 do not open until 2036. I had heard of many towns doing this but had never seen one.
A great deal of thoughts came to my mind as I stood there. First of all I thought hey these people have made it half way to 2036, not long now. Then I got to thinking gosh I remember 1986 and Lord willing I have an outside chance of making it to 2036. As a matter of fact 1986 was a pretty good year.
I began to think of what has changed in just those 25 years. Laptops were not something every person had in 86, Regan was president, we were some 22 years from the first African American president, not everyone had a cell phone and they were not considered must have gadgets. No one really paid much attention to a place called Iraq and Russia was stuck in Afghanistan not the United States. Few had email and Facebook and Twitter were probably not in the dictionary. I could go on for some time with all the changes in just 25 years and I can only imagine the changes that will take place in the coming 25 years.
If the Lord does not return there is no telling where technology and society will take us. Times change and there is not stopping it. Here is one more thought about our time capsule; nothing in it is changing, what is in it will be the same as it was the day it was buried in the ground. That is fine for a time capsule but not for us as people of God. Yet many embrace the thought.
When we come to faith it is a time of new birth; just like a new birth that is only a place to start. God desires for us to begin to grow from that moment forward not get stuck in that current moment. The basics of our faith should never change; that is what makes us who we are. But on the other hand as we mature as a person and seek God’s guidance we grow to be more like our Savior. Experience is a great teacher, I can relate to life far differently than when I was 24 years old in 1986.
If we are allowing God to direct our thoughts and use those experiences to help us mature that is very positive. On the other hand experience is good only if God is doing the directing not the world. That only leads to confusion and many times cripples our faith. Also ponder this; that capsule can help no one until 2036 when it is removed from the ground. With that thought in mind God uses Godly people who have experienced life, love and soaked up the wisdom of God to guide those of us who are younger. Yet if they choose to bury their faith in the ground and stay as they are what can be gained from that?
Everyone loses; the person stuck as an infant in their faith and those who come after them who need guidance in their faith. That town seemed pretty firm about not digging up that capsule; unfortunately some people are just as firm about not accepting the change that God uses to bring about spiritual maturity.
Consider where you are at with your faith; is your faith buried in the ground or actively growing.
To determine that ask these questions:
1) Are you taking the steps that help your faith grow; worship, study, prayer, and service.
2) Where is your faith on your priority list? Where was it two years ago? Where do you want it to be in two years?
3) Is your faith all over the map, believing one thing from this teacher and this from another?
Be very careful with who you listen to. To be sure this one is okay see question number one. Perhaps we will be around when they dig up the time capsule that would be interesting. But if we are, prayerfully our faith will be 25 years richer from living and loving the Lord with all our heart for those many years. If it is going to be perhaps now would be the time to dig our faith up and give it new life.
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:2-3, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
Prayer: Dear Lord, guide us to growth and help to lead us away from the temptation to get stuck in a rut with our faith. Guide us to learn the lessons you have for it and thus be able to lead others to grow in their love for you. We ask these things in the name of Christ, Amen.
