On Time 26 March 2008

Matthew 28:1-16
Wednesday, 26 March 2008

In my home church, being on time mattered. Although I have been affiliated with many other churches that operated differently, when I was growing up, if service began at 11:30, the core membership arrived no later than 11:15 in order to have time for kneeling prayer at the altar before service began. "It shows respect," my elders asserted. Since God gives us the privilege to set the time for worship, the least we can do is to show up on time for the time that we have set.

They came to see the tomb. In Matthew's account there were no spices to anoint the mangled corpse and thus no questions about gaining entrance to the sepulcher. Mary Magdalene and another Mary simply arrived as soon as it was permissible following the Sabbath, at the dawn of the first day of the week. They were right on time to see the earth quake and the stone roll and the angel appear. They were exactly on time to be the first to see the risen Lord. Notice in the text how words suggest timing and timeliness. "Quickly" and "suddenly" repeat in the narrative. Notice too that while they were still afraid, in Matthew's narrative their fear was mixed with great joy.

I am learning that timeliness in my home church demonstrated more than a legalistic attachment to a set order; it also reflected anticipation that our worship might be filled with great joy. We didn't want to miss anything. And so we developed the habit and practice of arriving promptly. In that same church, I learned that God shows up on time too.

Sing, "He Lives"

Let us pray:
Risen Savior, we desire to approach our time of private and corporate worship with anticipation of your life-giving presence. Whenever we might be found lagging behind, refer us again to the breaking of day on that first Easter morning and to the great joy that we experience in knowing you. Just as you are on time for us, grow us in faithfulness that we might be on time for you. Amen