In Tolkien’s epic, The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf provides some words of wisdom. If you are unfamiliar with books, Tolkien weaves a marvelous tale of another age populated by humans, elves, dwarves, goblins, wizards, and a powerful evil. Oh yes, and also halflings called hobbits. Although not a Christian story, it does contain Christian themes since Tolkien was a devout believer in Christ.
Early in the tale, a hobbit named Frodo wishes that the rising of evil wasn’t happening in his lifetime. And also wishing that he had no part in confronting that evil. From the book, “I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
That truth applies to all of us. A point driven home to me this past week by two separate instances. You see, we don’t know our days, their length, or what they may be like.
For the past two weeks, Betty and I have been on vacation (some of you may call it on holiday). We had traveled to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to explore that area and enjoy waves as the Atlantic splashed against those soft sands. One day we had driven to a nearby island where the first Europeans attempted to start a colony. We got caught in a traffic stoppage on the way back to our campsite. The outer banks in that area are narrow, with only one road in and out.
The stoppage was due to a traffic accident. Given the time it was taking to clear and the number of ambulances that hurried by, we knew it was bad. We didn’t move for nearly three hours. Later we learned that it was a head-on collision that ultimately claimed the lives of three people and several others still in the hospital.
The second instance is that someone near and dear to us that is battling several health issues has taken a turn for the worse. As of this writing, they are under intensive critical care, and the outlook is dire.
You see, none of us know the time that has been given to us. As Jesus taught, “Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?” (Luke 12:25, CSB) We all hope for a long and fruitful life. Yet, the truth is that none of us know when our last day will be. The two folks heading to the beach and the one heading in the other direction didn’t wake up knowing this was their last day.
So Gandalf’s wisdom is even more important than it seems. “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” We may wish the times were different, that everything was sunshine and roses. But that is not the way given to us.
“This is the day the Lord has made; let’s rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24, CSB)
This is the day. Whether the day is joyous or full of woe. This is the day. Whether it is one of many to come or the last one we may see. This is the day! Whether righteousness or evil reigns in our world. This is the day!! Whether we are well-fed or hungry, healthy or ailing, rich or poor. This is the day, and one thing we can decide to do with our time is rejoice in the Lord and be glad that He is always with us.
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