Sunday, March 12, 2023 is the annual “Blessing with a Curse Day” (A Pastor Mike phrase). Exactly at 2:00am on Sunday morning the time will change, springing forward one hour. The time change in effect means that we will lose one hour of sleep, a 23hr. day = “the curse.” “The blessing” is that for the rest of the spring, through the summer, we will gain an additional hour of daylight in the evening.
The beginning of Daylight Savings Time, as a concept, has its roots in 1784 with Benjamin Franklin. He wrote a letter to the editor of the Journal of Paris, suggesting the idea as a means to conserve candles. Energy consumption has often been the rational to continue the practice.
For me “springing forward” marks the unofficial start of Spring. The day is often anticipated, even though we lose an hour’s sleep. Most people enjoy the fact that the clock reflects that we gain an hour of daylight.
The altering of the time on a clock does not create more daylight hours it just reflects the natural annual occurrence. The reality is that the earth’s “tilt,” 23.4 degrees, allows for longer daylight. As the earth orbits around the sun, in an oval shape, which takes one year to complete, the hemisphere that’s tilted closest to the sun, not the actual distance from the sun, creates the longest time of light in a day. Most people do not care about the facts of astrophysics, just the result – more daylight!
Our relationship with the Son, Christ, mirrors the earths orbit. If we “tilt” ourselves into the Son, Christ, it doesn’t matter what circumstance we are encountering His light can shine brightly in our lives. Unlike the “tilt” of the earth established by The Creator in perfection, He allows us to determine our “tilt” toward the Son. During difficult times we may, as with the earth’s orbit, seem to be the farthest away from the sun/Son, but just like the earth it can be the time of added light and warmth if we intentionally “tilt” into Christ. The perceived distance is not the controlling factor, it is the “tilt.”
Today as you consider pausing at noon to Bend-A-Knee in prayer may you take advantage of God’s invitation to enter His Throne Room of Grace and “tilt” into Him. May you learn not to “tilt” away from the Son during times of perceived blessing causing less light and warmth, only to reverse your “tilt” when difficulties arise. The Son is ever-present and constant, He does not alter His light and warmth toward us. May we become intentional in our “tilt,” so we can enjoy His light and warmth through all the seasons of our lives.
Stay connected to God & to others
God’s Peace,
Pastor Mike