January 11

The Timeless God

Bible Reading: Psalm 90, 93:1-2; Ecclesiastes 3:11

I don’t know about you, but we’ve got a lot of clocks around our house.  I’ve got one on this computer, another on my watch, and still another on my smartphone.  There are several in the kitchen, on the oven and the microwave.  Even the TV tells me what time it is and so will Alexa if I ask her!  I’m thinking maybe the clocks have gotten the best of us, demanding we do this, or do that, at a particular time.  “Ticktock, ticktock” they say as our lives go by one moment at a time.

We may be creatures subject to the dictates of time, but God is not.  God is eternal.  And while this subject may require significant time to consider, I believe it will be time well spent.  The eternity of God Himself is an extraordinary truth.

What is meant by this particular doctrine?  The hardest thing to comprehend is the fact there’s never been a time when God was not and there will never be a time when He ceases to be.  As the Psalmist declared “from everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Psalm 90:2).  We’ve already considered the infinitude of God; the eternity of God is similarly transcendent.  It’s difficult for us time-bound creatures to comprehend a timeless God.

C.S. Lewis likened God’s eternality to a sheet of paper which extended infinitely in both directions. He suggested we take a pencil and draw a short line segment representing time, for just as that line begins and ends on the infinite piece of paper, so time finds its beginning and end in God. 

The month of January derives its name from the Roman god, Janus, who was thought to be the god of gates and doors.  With one face looking forward and one looking back, he was hung over doorways and was said to hold the key to what was and what is to come.  The God we worship is far greater than that.  

God is infinite–He isn’t bound by time .  From our perspective life happens in a series of events…one thing leads to another and so on.  We remember some things from our past and can’t see into the future.  But God dwells in eternity.  He exists in the past, present and future simultaneously.  History is not a series of random events spiraling out of control towards some unknown destiny.  Nothing which happens on earth is a surprise to the One who reigns over all in heaven. He is the sovereign and eternal God who declares “the end from the beginning.” He will accomplish His purpose (Isaiah 46:10; Cf. Ephesians 1:11).

We wear watches, but thankfully God does not.  The eternity of God draws us to Him.  A. W. Tozer put it this way, “’He hath set eternity in their heart,’ says the Preacher, and I think he here sets forth both the glory and misery of men.  To be made for eternity and forced to dwell in time is for mankind a tragedy of huge proportions.  All within us cries for life and permanence, and everything around us reminds us of mortality and change.  Yet that God has made us of the stuff or eternity is both a glory and a prophecy yet to be fulfilled…God’s eternity and man’s mortality join to persuade us that faith in Jesus Christ is not optional.”  The good news is that “our Savior Christ Jesus…(has) abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10).  

Heavenly Father.  We praise You as the God without beginning or end, the eternal God who knows the end from the beginning.  Thank you for purposing from eternity to send Your Son to rescue us from our mortality.  Thank you for choosing us before the foundation of the world!  Thank you that nothing which happens in this world is a surprise to You.  Help me to live my life in view of what matters for eternity.  Amen.

 “Trust in the Lord forever,

For the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”

Isaiah 26:4

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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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