My New Watch!

As some of you may know, a couple of weeks ago was my 60^th birthday.  I know…you don’t need to say it…I don’t look a day over 59!  Well, to celebrate, just about my whole family got together for dinner, birthday cake, and time around the fire pit in our backyard.  And, there were gifts to help make turning 60 a little bit easier; after all, who doesn’t like to get a birthday present?

My “kids” all chipped in and bought me a really cool gift: a Garmin GPS watch to help me keep track of my running, cycling, swimming, etc. It connects to GPS, Bluetooth, and WIFI. It keeps track of distance, location, and speed while playing music through one’s headphones. It also keeps track of one’s heart rate, calories burned, oxygen levels, and steps taken during the day.  Oh, by the way, it also tells time and gives the day and date! 

My first recorded run on my new watch!

So here I am at 60 years old not only keeping track of time that just seems to be flying by, but also how many steps I’ve taken in a day, how many calories I’ve burned, my heart rate and oxygen levels.  It all gets synced with my phone so I can have a record of my runs, bike rides, swims, and cardio workouts.  I even get to see charts and graphs to review whether or not I’m doing enough or not enough to keep myself healthy and fit.  It’s truly an amazing device. 

I wonder, however, what it would be like if my new watch could also tell me how well I was doing spiritually.  What if my watch could give me warnings when my love for God was beginning to wane or when my patience with others or compassion towards those in need was beginning to dip?  What if it showed me the times I was truly walking with God and the times when I was beginning to wander in my heart and mind?  Now, that would be quite a device! (I’m not sure anyone would buy it!)

The Apostle Paul wrote, “…physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8 – NIV) He then goes on to write, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16)

I understand the importance of taking care of one’s body through exercise and diet. And, I’m glad to have a watch that helps me keep track of all the things this watch can keep track of.  But, I’m also reminded that life is about so much more than what happens in one’s physical body; life is not just about the here and now, but about eternity—“the life to come.”  Thus, although my watch can’t do it, I must find ways to “watch (my) life and doctrine closely”—to make sure that my spiritual life is all that it is supposed to be; to make sure my spiritual heart is beating for the things for which God designed it to beat.

At 60 years old, I realize that time is just flying by.  Thus, it’s as important as ever that I keep my body as fit as possible. But, it’s even more important that I would do all that is necessary to keep my spiritual life as vibrant as ever. After all, with each step I take here on earth, I am one step closer to eternity…and, so are you.

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris