So once again the internets are buzzing with the latest hashtag. At first, I didn’t know what it meant when I saw pictures of Rep. Maxine Waters with her trademark “Don’t try it” look in the format of an album cover with the emblazoned words: Reclaiming My Time. Then eventually, someone put up a small video clip of her in action. Apparently, there was some sort of hearing going on. She asked a question that was not answered but instead, pandering took place which made her drop the now famous words “reclaiming my time” or basically “#reclaimingmytime”.

Now if you ever been in a meeting where there were parliamentary rules and procedures, you would totally get her reaction. And if you haven’t, it was clear to see that she was “not havin’ it” after she asked a question and it was intentionally not answered in the time allotted. I thought it was funny as an outsider, but clearly, it wasnt funny to Maxine who asked about the status of a past communication intended for immediate action from a person who deliberately side-stepped the question.

(okay Tracey….so where are you going with this???)

I was in church doing church things until a thought dropped in my mind and heart: God wants his time back.

Bloop!

At first I tried to shake off the thought, thinking I should’nt have peeked at Social Media before service but my mind began to roam on those words. What if God used those exact words of “reclaiming my time” right when we were about to waste the time He has given to us. Don’t get it? Follow me….

 

Let’s say you are about to….

Get involved with the wrong person  ’cause you’re lonely

God: Reclaiming my time..

 

Leave the good job God gave you for one you “think” will be better

God: Reclaiming my time..

 

Waving off prayer and bible study for TV and whatever else that catches your attention

God: Reclaiming my time..

 

Not waiting for His direction and jumping ahead in impatience

God: Reclaiming my time..

 

I thought about the minutes, hours and even years I wasted trying to do my own thing. He gave me ideas and the time to execute them, but I either did it with half effort or no effort at all. Which means, whatever I was supposed to do during a certain season in my life did’nt happen. See, we are on His time. We may think the time is ours but it really belongs to God. We are to seek Him in all things and follow His path when revealed. But when we start going on our own path, that’s when time is wasted. You see, Rep. Waters didn’t let that young man go any further with his antics. God will do the same by giving us a funny yet nagging feeling we all get that says “something just aint right” or using situations to block us from going any further. God does give us free will but, we are still required to seek Him for direction in all that we do.

Now, do we stop moving and wait around while the world passes us by. Not quite. We are to make our requests known through prayer and by faith make decisions that line up with scripture. It is the scripture and leading from God that help us not to run into a ditch with time wasted in the aftermath.

So, while Maxine reclaimed her time, I hope we (me included) allow God to reclaim His time in the way we live our lives.