“God has a specific timetable for each of us and it is His desire that we live our lives in “real time” increasing in wisdom, knowledge, and experience.”

The three words in the title of today’s blog are most recognizable as control buttons on electronic devices.  However, they can easily be correlated with life and how we prefer to deal with it.  One thing I have come to understand is that we struggle oftentimes to “live in the moment”!  Some people relish their experiences of the past and can hardly live and take one day at a time without “rewinding” and reliving the past.  Others are so frustrated and disenchanted with life as it is that they want to rush through and “fast forward” in hopes of advancing time to get to a better day.

We know that life will not always be a bed of roses but even in uncomfortable circumstances there is something good that can come out of difficulty.  God has a specific timetable for each of us and it is His desire that we live our lives in “real time” increasing in wisdom, knowledge, and experience.  Memories are formed as collective moments of the past; the future is unknown, and the present is now!  I heard it summed up another way . . . “the past is history, the future is a mystery, and the present is a gift”.

For nearly nine years my husband and I, along with our daughters lived on the east coast of the U.S.  We loved it – being close to the mountains of Pennsylvania, and being just a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean, we were able to enjoy all the fresh seafood we wanted . . . ok enough reminiscing!!!  I quickly hit the “rewind” button, didn’t I?  

Anyway during the 90’s my husband had the privilege of teaching at a middle school in inner city Baltimore, Maryland.  He was employed as the Music teacher and one of his goals was to introduce his students to various forms of music and hopefully promote an appreciation for music genres they would not ordinarily be exposed to.  He decided to make a deal with them. He told them if you listen to the music I want you to hear, then I will in turn allow you to play some of the music that appeals to you.   It was challenging but sometimes he succeeded.  

Other times within a matter of moments after he would begin the listening portion of the class he would hear shouts from the kids “REWIND MR. C, REWIND!!” Unfortunately, they weren’t using the term correctly!  What they really wanted my husband to do was “fast forward” so they could get to the music they wanted to hear!  Even with the students protests Mr. C had to enforce the fact that he was the teacher, they were the students, and he had a responsibility to that learning institution that hired him.

From time to time we are just like Mr. C’s students.  We want God to “rewind” or “fast forward” through life to get to what pleases us!  But God wants us to accept life and that which comes along with the journey in “real time”.  I leave you with some very appropriate thoughts from the Word of God:

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  –  I Thessalonians 5: 18  –  (KJV)

“Wisdom is the principal thing: {therefore} get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”  –  Proverbs 4: 7  –  (KJV)

“Learn to do right; seek justice.  Defend the oppressed.  Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.   –  Isaiah 1: 17 (NIV)

Source: First Lady Denise