Did you know there was ‘once upon a time’ when time stood still at the request of a man?  It is referred to as ‘the day the sun stood still.’  It is a one-time-only known event of its kind on record and is found in the Biblical book of Joshua 10:12-14.

“On the day that the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel: ‘O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.’ So, the sun stood still, and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? “So, the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man [and paused time].”

It’s another good reminder for us today as to what lengths God will go to defeat the enemies of Israel. This awesome event, as recorded in the Bible, was my inspiration for penning the following poem:

IF TIME COULD STAND STILL

By Dale V. Nobbman

If time could stand still, what in the world would we ever hope to do
We would have more time to be together, more time for me and you
And if time could stand still, what a sweet blessing it would truly be
To enjoy more time with our families, and more time for you and me

If time really could stand still, what in the world might we ever do
I guess I don’t know, except I would spend lots more time with you
It would be so nice to pause for a time, life’s busy merry-go-round
To stop for just a moment or two, and enjoy a quiet peaceful sound

Yes, if time could stand still, I think it would give us time to smile
To see the shadows stop their trek across the face of an old sundial
And time to extend a pretty sunrise, or to prolong a beautiful sunset
Maybe have a bit more quality time to spend with our favorite pet

God only knows what we might actually do if time could stand still
Would we use the time wisely, for we really don’t have time to kill
Life is an endless stream of daily activities, from cradle to the grave
Our precious time together, we should cherish and we should crave

I doubt if time will stand still for us; God has His own master plan
Let us just go about our own daily tasks, and do all for Him we can
We are living on His timeline here, and not one of our own creation
The time and blessings He’s given us are cause for true celebration

Every person in this life, who has reached the age of accountability, must make a multitude of choices during his or her lifetime.  The most important choice you will ever make is whether you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or not.  There is no middle ground; you either choose one or the other path to take. If you do not stand with Jesus Christ, then you are against Jesus Christ.  When it comes to salvation, there is no wishy-washy alternative way to enter into God’s Heaven.

You can choose to take the narrow path of Faith, Hope, and Love in Jesus Christ, or else you can choose the dangerous wide road through this life, represented by Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, oh my!  (borrowing a famous line from the movie Wizard of Oz.)  If you take the wide road, which is sadly and unfortunately trod by a majority of people in this life, it will lead to your destruction and eternal separation from the God who created you, and Jesus Christ who saved us from all our sins by means of His shed blood, when He died for us on a cruel Roman cross.  Jesus is the Lamb of God (John 1:36). You merely need to believe Jesus endured that for you.

Belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God is the only way for us to be made righteous in the sight of God the Father and thereby allow us to gain eternal life in God’s heaven with Jesus when our earthly life ends.  We will then live eternally in our glorious, resurrected bodies fit for heaven and made possible by Jesus’s resurrection from the dead and His victory over death.  Jesus himself told us, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father, except through Me” (John 14:6).

Remember the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans song ‘Faith, Hope, and Charity’?  They sang, “faith, hope and charity (love), that’s the way to live successfully. How do I know? The Bible tells me so” (1 Corinthians 13:13). It is important to read the Word of God to learn all the truths and promises God and Jesus left for us to discover in the Holy Bible. It provides us with words of wisdom to help lead us down the ‘straight and narrow path’ in this life (Proverbs 3:6).

Becoming a believer in Jesus Christ (a Christian) does not mean an easier life on earth.  Most likely just the opposite.  Being a Christian cannot help us escape the evil and chaos in this world because Satan goes about like a ‘roaring lion’ seeking to devour all the people he can, and Christians are his favorite targets (1 Peter 5:8). However, being a Christian certainly helps us know and rest in “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

I penned the following poem, which has helped me know the ‘peace of God.’

God is in control; He’s got things well in hand. He’s doing all that is best for His eternal plan.  God is in control; I pray for His Will to be done. I put my trust in Him, God the Three in One. (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit)

I also penned these words to a song I wrote.

Give your heart to Jesus; give Him all of your heart today. Give your heart to Jesus; He will wash your sins away.  Trust Jesus as your Savior; He is the Life, the Truth, and the Way. Give your heart to Jesus; give Him all of your heart today.  Jesus knows your darkest secrets; He still loves you anyway. Ask Jesus to be your Savior, and He will wash your sins away.  Give your heart to Jesus; He will hear you when you pray, “Forgive my sins, Lord Jesus; I give you all of my heart today.

Romans 10:9-10 states, “if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with your heart, you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.”

My prayer is that you will give your heart to Jesus today and confess Jesus as your Savior!  You will never regret doing so, once you experience the liberating feelings of God’s ‘mercy and grace’ in your life.