Years ago, a friend gave us an old clock. It’s a Seth Thomas mantlepiece, 8-day windup. When was it made? Well, at least 150 years ago. How do we know? No date is listed on the timepiece. But we’ve learned that after Seth Thomas died, the locals revamped their town’s name from Plymouth Hollow to Thomaston, in the clockmaker’s honor. Our clock has printed inside its cherrywood case that it was made by ‘Seth Thomas, Plymouth Hollow, Conn’. Well, smarty-pants, my clock was crafted sometime before 1875, when the town name was changed. I’m old, but our clock is much older!

Opening the cabinet, you’ll find two lead weights that require manual winding at least once every 8 days. But I never let it get that close to the bottom. After a few days, I scrounge around for the winding key to boost our clock’s weights. Up they go, producing more gravity-power to run this timely piece of furniture, which still has reverse artwork on its glass frontispiece with gold leaf as trim, in addition to an early patriotic seal of the United States in its glass center, picturing a horse galloping off to who knows where!

Obviously, my wife and I cherish our old clock. Why do I mention this old timekeeper? What’s the point? It reminds me of my Bible and prayer, as both keep my spiritual life running like clockwork. Both need constant attention and care, even more often than an 8-day windup.

My Bible–‘All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work’ (2 Timothy 3: 16). Keep the Word of God’s teaching taut, tense, tightly drawn and snug within as its weights carry all the pressures of this life and the promises of the next. Don’t let it run down and out. Wind it up. Read, already!

Prayer–‘…pray without ceasing…’ (1 Thessalonians 5: 17). Simply put– pray always, in all circumstances, in season and out, whether you feel like it or not. Pour out your heart to God. Hold… back… nothing! Masks removed. Be as open as you can be with your best friend ever. Don’t slack off when the weights of life come crashing down. Tighten those prayers. Don’t babble on, but keep winding everything around the love of your Lord Jesus. He knows all about it. and can handle whatever much better. That I do know.

These are a couple of thoughts as I wind my old Seth Thomas tick-tock this Saturday morning. Now it’s time to clock in and get busy with my Bible and prayer. Will you join me?

Thank you, Jesus, for my relationship with you. Amen.