Now Just A Second...

The U.S. Naval Observatory is going to add a leap second to the world’s clocks at 23
hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on December 31,
2008. This corresponds to 6:59:59 pm Eastern Standard Time. Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one second.

Maybe we could have guessed that we needed more time in this year to figure out how to work on some of the problems that have cropped up for so many. Maybe it has been a matter of people making split second decisions that went wrong. Perhaps some should have waited for the leap second to decide and perhaps a better outcome might have been decided.

While the effect of a leap second may be small from our perspective, just how long does it take to correct an error of judgment, a moral failure, or an ethical misstep? How long does it take to rebuild a reputation, to generate goodwill after a broken relationship, to promote a positive upbuilding agenda after a dismal failure? The time it takes for that always is longer than a leap second, but a leap second certainly won’t hurt us any, if it will give us another moment to consider our need for a greater source of help than our own often wayward thinking. We need the wisdom of heaven, the truth that endures forever, the way of redemption and the promise of hope. We need Jesus and in Him there is life and life abundant. Take a leap second and consider that.