Saving Daylight?

Today begins Daylight Savings Time for another year (so if you didn’t set your clocks ahead last night you might be an hour behind everyone else!). I’m not as big a fan of daylight savings as some people are. It’s not that I don’t like the extended daylight at the end of the day. It’s great to have it lighter when I leave work, and nice to be able to go for a walk or do some work outside after supper. However the sacrifice for light later in the day is less light earlier. I really like watching the sun come up shortly after 6am. It’s easier to get up at 5am knowing the sun is soon behind me.

No longer. It will be the end of March before the sunrise is before 7am and the end of April before it is up before 6am. So it’s an exchange really, we don’t actually gain any daylight today. I’m reminded of the legend of a Native American ‘s remarks regarding Daylight Savings Time (thanks to cousin Dave for the image):

So as I sit here missing that hour of sleep I lost last night I have been contemplating the concept of saving time and planning our futures. As the days stay light longer and the spring and summer approaches I tend to make many plans. I plan for the gardens and the flowers I’ll plant. I plan for trips I want to take and waterfalls I want to explore. I was reminded this morning of what God has to say:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.  James 4:13-16

I don’t think God is against setting goals and making plans for our days. It seems to me that if we are to serve him effectively we need to think ahead a little. But our plans should always be subject to His revisions or striking them completely. To make the most of our days we should always start with a conversation with the Lord, both talking AND listening to see who He would have us touch and how we can best serve Him.

We also shouldn’t leave that conversation in the morning. We need to be in touch with God all day to adjust our attitudes and actions to match what He would have us do. I often struggle with this one, getting to the end of the day and looking back, seeing too late opportunities I missed because I wasn’t paying attention. That makes me sad. I’m going to work on doing better.

So my friends, whether you like this springing ahead stuff or not, allow yourself to take the time to think about today and what the Lord has for you. Do the good He has for you today, and go to bed tonight with the peace of knowing you’ve done the best you could for Him.

Blessings and peace to you today!

Paula