The Time Illusion

Geoff Brumfel, from NPR wrote an article titled, Time is an illusion so why are we all obsessed with it? He stated: But time has another side to it, one that the clocks don’t show. “A lot of us grow up being fed this idea of time as absolute,” says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, a theoretical physicist at the University of New Hampshire. But Prescod-Weinstein says the time we’re experiencing is a social construct. Real time is actually something quite different.” What’s a social construct and who constructed time? We’ve all experienced “beach time,” “mountain time,” or if you’ve had the opportunity to travel: “island time.” The people of those two geographical locations have chosen to relax their grasp of time not allowing the clock to dictate their mental state. For those driven by fast-paced city life this slower paced reality can be excruciating. But to those tired of the “rat race” this perception of time is soothing.

Our culture measures time, tracking, and regulating it for control purposes in order to keep the cultural – economic “machine” running smoothly. Thus, you could say government constructs time. But if you are a follower of Jesus, having read the Bible, you know that time really is “constructed” because God exists outside of time and is timeless. Einsteins’ theory of general relativity proved this stating that the only true constant is Light. Hebrews 1:2 states: [But] in the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order]. Since God created time for our existence we must see it as the gift that it is. Recently I had someone tell me that I was wasting my time being a pastor. What’s wrong with that statement? One phrase: your time. Since God created time, giving it to me as a gift, it’s not my time. Time is not my possession any more than the clothes I wear, the house I reside in, or the truck I drive. I’m just borrowing these things.

1 Peter 1:17 states: And if you call upon Him as [your] Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, [then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short]. How do we conduct ourselves with true reverence in regard to time? We often say, They didn’t respect my time? Preachers are often accused of this. Truth be known true reverence and respect should be shown to the Giver of Time. Am I participating in reference to time in a way that acknowledges the Giver of Time? Or does the center of “self” have the greater gravitational pull – defying His Light? Genesis 4:26 would echo this statement: At that time men began to call upon the Name of the Lord.” Am I agreeing, and aligning with the speed of His Light by calling on the Name of the Lord at all times or am I still confused about Who time belongs too?

The band Chicago asked an appropriate question, Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody care?