We live in a very time conscious society. Just think about the number of clocks we have. In our kitchen alone we have 3. Every appliance we buy these days has a clock on it. Do you know the worst part about having so many clocks? If Anayis will allow me to quote her. “If you have more than one clock you can never be sure what time it is.”

We live in a society which always feels the pressure of time. “When do we have to be there?” “When is the deadline?” The passage of time is accelerating - the pace is quickening. This morning was probably no exception: getting everybody up and ready - the kids dressed and fed - trying to arrive on time and almost making it.

And, its hard to trust God when we feel the tyranny of the urgent - especially when we need answers and solutions and resolution - and they aren’t coming as fast as we want.

Each of us has a need to trust God with the timing of our lives.

God’s use of time is far different than our experience of time. While we are limited by time, God is not - While we experience the boundaries of time - God uses time for His purposes.

I’d like to invite you to turn with me to Psalm 90

Psalm 90 teaches us why God can be trusted with our time.

“Lord, Thou has been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God. Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, ‘turn back, O children of men!’ For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream, like grass which is renewed in the morning: In the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are consumed by Thy anger by Thy wrath we are overwhelmed. Thou has set our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance. For all our days pass away under Thy wrath, our years come to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are threescore and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore: yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of Thy anger, and Thy wrath according to the fear of Thee? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on Thy servants! Satisfy us in the morning with Thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad as many days as Thou has afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil. Let Thy work be manifest to Thy servants, and Thy glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it.”

There are 4 reasons to trust God with our time.

1. God Is Eternal (90:1,2)

(1) “Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God.”

With age - we hope - comes wisdom. Those of us who are younger should never ignore the perspective of wisdom which comes from a lifetime of experience - especially when that wisdom is lovingly applied to our lives.

Moses composed Psalm 90 during the Exodus - out in the wilderness - for Israel to sing as a praise to God - to remind them of God’s character - His greatness, power, sovereignty, and eternality.

God exists outside of time - before time - after time - and during time - simultaneously. Simultaneously He has the wisdom that comes from every experience within and without creation. And this is the God who has chosen to be the His people’s dwelling place - to protect His people - to guide them with His wisdom - not only in the past - but in the present and future.

2. Our Life Span Is Brief (90:3-6)

(3) “Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, ‘Turn back, O children of men!’ For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past,” (6) Man is like grass - “In the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.”

God sets certain limits to human life. He says to man, turn back to the dust for you came from the dust. Do you remember the story of the little girl who learned in Sunday school that man came from the dust and eventually returns to the dust. She looked under her bed one morning and said, “Mother, mother, come! There’s someone under my bed, but I don’t know whether he’s coming or going!”

The greatest men of history share one common reality - they are all dead. With all of our arrogance and pride - all our accomplishments - we still cannot conquer the grave - we all return to the dust.

A few years back some workers were digging in a basement in Salzburg, Austria - and they heard a scratching noise just under the ground. As they dug down they discovered the lost grave of the famous composer Mozart. When they opened his casket - Mozart was inside furiously erasing all of his compositions. They said, “Mozart, Mozart, what are you doing?” Mozart replied, “I’m decomposing.”

We begin to trust God with the timing of our lives as we admit to the frailty and finite nature of our lives. If we’re not holding onto ourselves - its easier to let go.

3. Our Life Span Is Very Precious (90:7-12)

(10) “The years of our life are 70 years or if due to strength 80 years - yet their span is but toil and sorrow They are soon gone, and we fly away.”

According to statistics - today our average life span still falls within the 70-80 year range, just as Moses concluded some 2,500 years ago. The time God gives us is short - each day is not given to us to waste - but for a purpose.

In our lifetime - those who study such things - tell us that we will spend:

Six months siting at stoplights

Eight months opening junk mail

One year looking for misplaced objects

2 years unsuccessfully returning phone calls

4 years doing housework

5 years waiting in line

6 years eating

If you had a bank that credited your account each morning with $86,400 - that carried over no balance from day to day - allowed you to keep no cash in your account - and every evening canceled whatever part of the amount you failed to use during the day - what would you do? Draw out every cent every day, of course, and use it to your advantage!

Well, you have such a bank, and its name is TIME! Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it rules off as lost whatever of this you failed to invest to good purpose. IT carries over no balances - it allows no overdrafts. Each day it opens a new account with you. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against tomorrow.

How valuable is your time - consider that the days of your life are a gift of God - He desires for you to experience fulfillment in them - that these days would be valuable - significant days.

Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days, - to consider the value of the time we are given - that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” - to see our days from God’s perspective

4. Time Allows Us To Experience God’s Blessing (90:13-17)

(14) “Oh satisfy us in the morning with Thy lovingkindness....” (16) “Let Thy work appear to Thy servants....” (17) “Let the favor of the Lord be upon us and do confirm for us the work of our hands.”

If one lives to be 70 years, he has 25,550 days to use to the glory of God or to self-interest. If he lives to be 80, there are 29,200 days.

Why has God given you today? For one more lap in the Rat Race? To meet deadlines and rush to appointments? Our lives come apart at the seams if the order - plan - timing we envision is upset. We ask why God doesn’t act faster. We try to manipulate events according to our wisdom and timing.

God - the eternal God - gives us each day to trust Him. Moses tells us that only when we give the timing or our lives to God can we really experience God’s blessing - that we will even see God significantly working in us and through us.

Jesus enters Jerusalem. Relentlessly the events of our Savior’s life have moved toward His death on the cross. As we celebrate Palm Sunday - we celebrate the culmination of Jesus’ preparation as the Messiah - His coronation - and the events leading to His betrayal - death - and resurrection.

The date of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem was fixed centuries earlier - through the prophetic word - and even, the Bible tells us, before the creation of the world.

It is no coincidence that Jesus enters Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles - to enter in triumph before millions looking for a king. To arrive at Passover - to present Himself as the sacrificial Lamb that takes away the sins of mankind. The Apostle Paul says, “at the right time - at the appointed time - Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).

And it is no coincidence that Jesus came during the time of the Roman Empire - when all roads lead to Rome - a time of common language - culture - transportation - commerce - and the ability to spread the Gospel that has not been seen since - until today.

The timing of Jesus’ entrance is a declaration of God’s sovereignty - His mastery of time. As He is crucified and buried - God also declares His sovereignty - and one week from today we will celebrate His resurrection.

What are the circumstances of your life? Where do you need to trust God for His timing? Sometimes it is hard to see past crucifixion to resurrection. But, in His time - at the best time - because He is the eternal, sovereign God - resurrection comes.

The Bible encourages us to see our frailty and to see God’s sovereignty - and to trust Him. To give our minutes and days to Him - to let go of our solution finding and worrying about all the “stuff” we have to do. And trust Him to lead us forward as His people.