Poor old David. He never had the chance to go to Disney World, see Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, ride Space Mountain, or visit Epcot Center. He never saw a Keurig, a gas grill, or an electric drill; he never knew the thrill of a home run, the excitement of an airplane ride, or the energy in the air at a Super Bowl. Poor David. Poor old David.

Poor old David. He never had the opportunity to taste lasagna or fried okra, to experience a tractor ride, to feel the power of a rocket underneath his feet. He never knew the joy of microwave cooking, or the wonder of radiation treatment. Poor David. Poor old David.

Poor old David. He never experienced electricity, felt the vitality of a hot shower, or knew the relief in a chilling glass of ice cold water. He missed the opportunity to have Pop Tarts for breakfast, watch the miracle of television, or sense amazement in a simple telephone conversation. He never had the chance to visit Six Flags, watch a scary movie, or shop at a grocery store. Poor David. Poor old David.

Poor old David. He never watched a circus, rode a Ferris wheel, or drove a car. He never cruised the ocean on a steam liner or crisscrossed America in a RV. He never fired a rifle, changed the oil in his truck, or used Apple Pay. Poor David. Poor old David.

But he did have time to watch a sunset, feel the breeze on a windy day, and enjoy the shade of a mighty oak. He did have time to simply enjoy the presence of God, to commune intimately with Him, to talk with the Savior daily. Personally. Quietly. He did have the stillness of the mornings and the silence of the evenings, the quietness of the day and the calmness of the night.

Yes, he did have time to talk to his father, laugh with his brothers, and cry with his mother. He did have time to eat dinner with his family, find out what happened in each of their lives, and run and play with his children. He did have time to learn, to sing, to write, to create; he did have time to develop close family ties and strong personal commitments. He did have time to sit still, listening intently to the voice of God for direction, guidance, comfort, and peace. He did have time to worship, to stand in awe of Almighty God, to anticipate the promised Messiah. He did have time to praise the Father, to make music for the Master, to rejoice within his soul over the goodness of the Lord.

He did have time to love God with all of his heart and soul and mind, to gaze upon the loveliness of Yahweh, and to feed in the rich pastures of His heavenly meadow. He did have time to think, to wonder, to question, to ponder. He did have time to weep, to mourn, to laugh, to share. Simply put, David had time.

Maybe David wasn’t so poor after all. Sure, he missed the crazy twenty-first century when life’s pace is faster than ever; yes, he missed the automation and technology of our computer age; he even missed the skyscrapers, high rise buildings, underground transportation, intercontinental flights, and quarantining. But so what, right?

David had the one thing all of us work so hard to find—time. He had the one thing needed far more than luxury, comfort, or accommodations. He had the tool by which he was able to carve out a strong relationship with God, a healthy self-image, and a close family unit. He had the instrument which enabled him to write splendid poetry, beautiful songs, and heartbreaking tragedies. He had the one element that we find so elusive: Time.

Today we move faster, go farther, soar higher, dig deeper, and work longer; today we have all the conveniences that should enable us to have more time. Yet, we don’t. We can keep time, watch time, store time, save time, invest time, and tell time. But we still haven’t found a way to make time.

Poor old David. He never knew the rush of traffic, or felt the push of a hundred people in a mall; he never knew the nagging buzz of an alarm clock or the constant ringing of the telephone.

But he did feel the softness in a green, grassy hillside, and know the coolness of a crystal clear lake; he did understand the meaning of rest, and he did grasp the concept of peace. He did know the joy of time. Time with himself. Time with others. Time with God.

Poor David.

Poor old David.