“I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand” (Ps.31:14). “At just the right time, God sent his Son” (Gal.4:7). “This is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth” (Eph.1:10).
Lord Jesus, “What time is it?” is a question we’ll ask, or be asked, several times today—and for good reason. I’ll never forget the day I spoke with missionaries from yesterday and from tomorrow on the same day here in Franklin, TN. Inhabiting different time zones makes that possible. But whatever our GPS location—longitude and latitude on the earth’s surface—age and stage of life, free all of us to live the rest of our lives primarily in the GTZ—The Gospel Time Zone. What would that mean?
Calendar-wise, it would mean our primary time frame in life would be you, Jesus, not us. Most of us grew up with BC (Before Christ) and AD (In the Year of Our Lord), as a time marker. But the GTZ ups the ante a bit—calling us to think of everything in light of your resurrection and return—the already-and-not-yet of your Kingdom. History is exactly that, Jesus—His Story, your story as Creator and Redeemer—Ruling King and Returning Bridegroom. You’re not an add-on Jesus, or just “really important,” or even “most important.”
This very moment angels are rejoicing and demons are trembling; and before long, every knee will bow and all things will be new (Phil.2:5-11; Rev.21:1-5). Until the Day everything is “summed up in you,” Jesus (Eph.1:10)—show us how to live at the pace of grace with the values of eternity.
We don’t merely want you to be 1st in our lives; we want, like Paul, to think of you as our life (Phil.1:21). In the GTZ everything happens right on time, and since “our times are in your hand” (Ps.31:14), fill our days, dreams, and plans with yourself, Jesus. So Very Amen.