Since my earliest days, I have had a thing about clocks. I love them. Grandpa and Grandma had a grandfather clock in their living room and I was fascinated with the different chimes that my grandfather changed each month. Whether Whittington, Canterbury or Westminster, I couldn’t wait for the next quarter hour to listen with earnest. The clock was from the Eggers Furniture Company, a furniture store that was started by my great grandfather and eventually run by my grandmother. My mother grew up with that clock and something about it was very comforting. Suffice it to say that even as a very young child, I fell asleep to the constant tick-tock as I rested on the living room sofa during nap time.
We didn’t have a clock in our own home growing up but several years after Janet and I were married, an unusual opportunity came our way. My grandfather’s law partner was moving to Hawaii and her family’s grandfather clock was offered to us. It was a magnificent piece of craftsmanship; built of mahogany and about 8’ tall. It was built in southern Germany, Bavaria I believe, in 1876 and was one of the rare clocks that has a wooden pendulum.
So Janet and I bought the clock and it has been with us since 1976, the same year that it turned a century old. It has made every move with us and stood as a sentry over our family since Kirstin was one year old. That means the clock has been with us through the birth of two of our children, the homes that we have lived in and all kinds of family events too numerous to mention. The start of school each year, the good and not so good years in business, the weddings of all three of our children and even coming to Indiana from Illinois are all things that have occurred during it’s time under our care.
It has also stood guard during our illnesses, accidents, surgeries and a litany of health crises that, by the grace of God, we have survived. And you know what? That clock, now 150 years old, has never stopped running or needed a repair in all the years that we have owned it. Sure, we have it oiled every decade or so, but even the clockmakers believe that we should not worry about needing a repair. It has proven its worthiness.
One night, earlier this week, I was thinking about all the different things our family has gone through in the 53 years that Janet and I have been married. My time was filled with remembrances of the highlights of the lives of our children and even the holiday gatherings that we have hosted throughout the years. Christmases, Thanksgiving, even Halloweens, that clock has stood firm, unmovable in the front hall, watching over our family. It has been our constant sentinel for half a century.
As steadfast and reliable as our clock has been throughout the decades, Jesus is the ultimate shepherd who will be watching over us through all eternity. We know that Jesus has withstood the test of time. After all, He has been here forever. He is constant, reliable, trustworthy and sacrificed his life for the sins of all mankind. He has carried the weight of the world on his shoulders and been a witness to every event in the lives of every person who has ever existed!
As our Lord and Savior, Jesus has proven that there isn’t anything that can separate us from His love. And that’s critical in the scheme of things. He protects us from Satan and will rule throughout all eternity. Our verse for tonight comes from the Psalms. The psalms are filled with all kinds of laments, worship and unbridled appeals to God for help. In fact, the psalms are the most emotional book in the entire Bible. In psalm 102, the psalmist speaks to God and says, in Psalm 102:25-27, “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same and your years will never end.”
My encouragement this evening is that Jesus is our ultimate advocate as well as our steadfast Lord and Savior. He is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. There is none better! My prayer is that as we progress through our earthly journey, we will rely on God to lead the way and make us more like Jesus. We should dedicate ourselves to Him and realize that His plans for our lives are far better than anything we could dream up for ourselves. And no matter what transitions we are going through, God is with us every step of the way. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…