The Quiet Hours
By Bruce Cooper
No great excitement or revelation is revealed in this post, just a quiet observation. I find that I now enjoy the quietness that surrounds me in the early hours of the morning when I often wake up well before my day really begins. It’s a time when all distractions are silent and an ideal time for prayer. The background noise is all turned off and there are only the natural sounds of the wind or rain outside. It’s a time to set the tone for the day, put things in order between God and myself and the gift of time that He has given me this day.
Our days go by so quickly, yet each hour of time that lies before us is precious as the sand in our hourglass of allocated time slowly empties until we are called home. We all strive to work towards the completion of ourselves in Jesus but really, when you get right down to it, that is His work in us, where He directs and we far too often, slowly respond. I used to think that I could fix things, that I could make things right as they ought to be but the older that I get, the more I have come to understand that in the vast majority of cases, I don’t really have that ability. Far too frequently, I let opportunities go by versus doing God’s will, in my encounters with others, with family members and even myself.
There’s always so much more that I could do, in spite of what I may have done. When I look at our children and grandchildren and ponder what they will remember of me when I am gone, it makes me realize how our area of influence is fleeting and how important it is to give love in every opportunity that presents itself. When I see their lives unfolding and the hindrances that may lie before them, I can only trust that my God, who has showed great mercy with me, will do likewise for them.
Prayers for the unsaved, prayers for my Christian brothers and sisters, prayers for my unsaved children, prayers for my children who have given their lives to Jesus, prayers for family members who have never really looked and prayers for myself to fit into God’s plan for me. You see, I want to see the pieces of the puzzle fit together before I leave and I suspect that in the vast majority of cases, this isn’t necessarily going to happen. I remember when I was diagnosed with cancer a number of years ago and the probability of surviving was not very good, I cried, not for myself, but for those that I would leave behind and I wouldn’t be able to help, protect, or guide them. Foolish me, all I can really do is show them Jesus because He is the good shepherd, not me.
Use this day to show God’s love, with those you encounter at work, with family members and whoever you may meet. Find a way, it’s really important.
Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!
Bruce Cooper became a Christian in his twenties and remembers as a new Christian he had a thousand and one questions. One of the objectives for his blog is to provide answers to many of the questions that he originally had. You’ll note that he has a “Christian Resources” page, and a “Defending Your Faith 101” page. These pages, plus others, are made available to provide the many facets of Christian Apologetics. Bruce, by definition, is just an ordinary Christian layperson and his blog is the result of his conviction, that Christians should know why they believe and what they believe. Studying the many facets of Christian Apologetics helps him build on that conviction.
Bruce served 35 years in the Canadian Armed Forces. Upon retirement from CAF he worked another 18 years in private industry as an Information Technology (IT) Network Administrator, and a Certified Google Apps Deployment Specialist. He retired at the age of 70 and now works part time with the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires.
Bruce, A.K.A. Papa, and his wife Peggy live in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Their five children are grown and have gifted them with 7 wonderful grandchildren.
Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!
Feature Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter
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