In a Little While

~~~ Acts 18: 1-8 ~~~ Psalm 98 ~~~ John 16: 16-20 ~~~

Jesus said to his disciples:
“A little while and you will no longer see me,
and again a little while later and you will see me.”

While there is never a passage from scripture that is not layered with meaning; today I want to focus on a minuscule section.

The phrase "A little while..."

I am reflecting on the many times I myself have used those very words.

It is interesting that those words refer to the passage of time. A undefined segment if time. God certainly does not operate within our definition of time. For God time is no consequence, because to God all is present. God exists in the N-O-W.

For Jesus to use the words 'a little while' he was speaking from his humanity and to others humans. We tend to label most things in a time frame. Our lives are governed by the particulars of the passage of time.

When our children were small it would be common to answer one of their many questions with, 'in a little while'. They were temporarily satisfied, yet we knew these words were not really an answer.

In my classroom I would often say, 'in a little while' we will be ... whatever the next task would be. I came to realize that it was better to say something like, 'you still have 5 minutes to complete this math assignment.'

Exact times have become a part of who we are. This is one reason why even though people look forward to vacation they often do not know how to stop and relax.

We live in a busy world where 'a little while' just stirs up anxiety.

I have been waiting in a doctor's office and been told, the doctor will be in in a little while. Well that little while can vary from 5 minutes to 25 minutes...it is very vague.

So I can only imagine how confused and anxious the apostles must have felt as they listened to Jesus that day. What did Jesus mean? How long is a little while? Should they stay there and wait? Would he give them a more definite time frame later?

In addition to the vague sense of time Jesus further confuses them by telling them they would not see him and then later they would see him.

It was the ultimate illusion...now you see me...now you don't.

Of course now we know what Jesus was trying to tell them, but then they did not.

Jesus was trying to prepare them for his death and resurrection all within one sentence.

What a challenge!

Jesus would have left great Twitter messages. He would have had no problem keeping within the 144 required word limit. I am sitting here smiling just thinking about the one-liners Jesus could have posted on his Twitter account.

"Come, follow me."

"I am the Vine you are the Branches."

"Love one another."

"Be not afraid. It is I."

Jesus wanted the apostles to be prepared

but he did not give them the exact time frame.

It is the same today in our lives.

What does "in a little while" mean to God when it comes to our lives?

Life is short.

In reality we are only here on earth for a little while.

Next time you say these few words really pay attention

to what you mean and how they may be received by the listener.

Carpe Diem!