"Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." —Philippians 3:12–14 (NASB)

Behind the Times

I bought an old timey clock for a steal. Someone turned the key and wound the clock's spring too tight. It's frozen in time.

The cost to repair? Expensive.

I thought about taking it apart to see what makes it not tick, but I probably couldn't put it back together again. The woman who sold it to me said, "It's a chimer." But I've never heard it chime.

Sometimes my Bible reminds me of a clock that chimes every hour. I hear its words over and over, but tune them out, until…

I run down.

Most mornings, it's hard to get up. Before I rise, I'm already behind. I just want to curl into a fetal position and go back to sleep. When depression—the 3 A.M. blues of the soul—strikes, I long to turn back time's hands and undo the pain.

No breakup.

No divorce.

No parenting alone.

The paralyzing "If onlys" fail to stop or reverse time. I can't stay stuck in bed or the past. So, when the alarm clock clangs, I rise, whine and do what most clocks do, I just keep going.

My body and soul runs on two clocks. My physical clock ticks away the minutes and hours doing the daily motions of life. I'm so glad that when stresses and strains wind me too tight, breaking me down, God doesn't consider me too expensive to fix. His Word holds the key to repair my innermost parts.

The truth of God's Word winds up my spiritual clock, helping me to run, press on and pursue the passion God put in my heart.