FINDING GOD IN DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

Finding God in Daylight Savings Time may sound like a strange idea. But the biannual ritual of changing our clocks can serve as a powerful reminder of why Jesus said, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.”  (John 9:4 NIV)

Tonight we set our clocks ahead one hour. We laugh and say we get one hour's extra sleep (however, many of us just stay up an extra hour tonight). We manipulate our clocks, but everything really stays the same in the Universe. We have a God who is constant and consistent in all areas.

In 1916, Germany and the United Kingdom put Daylight Saving Time (DST) into practice during World War I. The U. S. instituted DST in 1918 in order to conserve fuel needed to produce electricity. Most areas reverted to standard time after the war. In 1942, the United States reinstated DST for the duration of World War II.

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a system of uniform DST throughout the country, except for states that voted to stay on standard time. Proponents of DST point out the reduction in energy consumption. Opponents claim that the benefit ­doesn’t justify the adjustment of clocks twice a year and note that the disruption of sleep patterns in the spring corresponds to a spike in the number of serious auto accidents.

In the spiritual realm, this biannual changing of the clocks can serve as a reminder that we have a limited time on this earth. ­Jesus was keenly aware that he had ­only three years to carry out his earthly ministry. He wanted his followers to have that same awareness and dedication to their God-given assignments. ­Jesus made the most of his “daylight” and accomplished his mission before he died.

We live in the day of salvation when God’s grace shines like the sun. We need to be about the business of bringing others into his Kingdom. But time is short. God has fixed the date, since the foundation of the world, when this present age will end. We ­don’t know how brief our life will be. While we’re changing our clocks, we can be finding God in Daylight Savings Time if we renew our commitment to make the most of our days by serving Him.