Tick- tock- tick- tock. Everyone’s life is driven by time, the steady measurement of days and years. As with many of life’s certainties, humans have tried to encapsulate time within a simple saying. “Time is on my side.” “Time is the wisest counselor of all.” “Time stops for no man.” “For such a time as this.”
What was that last one? For such a time as this? What does that mean?
To fully understand the meaning of this phrase, nine youth and two adults from our church embarked on a week long journey to Indiana this July. Our destination was Purdue University, site of the Presbyterian Youth Triennium.
The Triennium is a conference for Presbyterian Youth all over the country, and even the world. Every three years, young Presbyterians converge en masse at Purdue University, ready to grow, learn, and worship together as one faith community.
Each year, a theme is chosen to focus on during our much-too-short time together. For Triennium 2010, that theme was “For Such A Time As This.” We explored it through discussion, sermons, song, dance, and drama. A time to be born, a time to die. A time to mourn, a time to dance. Every day, we were asked how we know when it is our time to step up to the plate and answer God’s call. We read stories of people who had stepped forward when God showed them it was their time. Esther stood up for her people despite the possibility of being murdered alongside them. Jesus refused to obey the devil even as he was bribed and tested.
In small groups, we discussed the bravery of these individuals and how we could use them as examples so we know how to be ready for God. As we spoke, we saw the common bond of our faith uniting us. I spent my time with people from New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, and Germany. Though our backgrounds were varied, we became fast friends, joined in our common identity as Presbyterians, as youth, as human beings. In small ways, we found that every day was our time. His time to share his deepest fears. Her time to sing in front of five thousand people. My time to open up and make friends with strangers.
As we all loaded back onto our busses and planes, reluctant to return home to the real world after such a glorious vacation into a world of nothing but love and acceptance, there was a great deal of discussion about how very blessed we were. What a great gift from God to allow us to be a part of this fantastic event. But as much as we saw Triennium as a gift, we also knew it was a calling from God. We had been exposed to the sort of world that can exist when God’s love is allowed full reign. Now, we must bring back the lessons learned to the rest of our faith community.
So here I am, telling you that God calls to all of us, every day. Maybe tomorrow you will be asked to risk your life to save a hundred others; maybe you’ll be asked to share your lunch with a homeless man. Just make sure you’re ready to take that calling, embrace it, and make it your own. Know that God has led you in to right place at the right moment, so that you will be there for such a time as this.
(This article was submitted by Emily DeMarco for the upcoming "Lantern" article - click for photo and blog article).
(This article was submitted by Emily DeMarco for the upcoming "Lantern" article - click for photo and blog article).
