A Grain Of Sand Measuring Time

Psalm 139: 17-18

Measuring time and day is a necessity for life.

This time-keeping can also be stressful and a cause for anxiety.

Being on-time, keeping a date (for business or recreation) and setting appointments are basic functions for people in all cultures...that desire to consider others.

Time is an idea and this idea has been 'measured' according to human observation.

To close out year 2016 of our Lord, a second will be added prior to counting in the next year.

I am amazed at how mankind has explored the reasonings behind our world's existence, and the concepts mankind has produced to make sense of this existence.

Time is one such concept that would encourage a notion of repeated patterns.

The study of the stars gave way to the concept of time and the year.

For the farmers of antiquity and Today, a day (and daylight hours) in December is very different from a day in July.

For many people the world over, the next few hours means a 'change' for them.

But this change is more a mindset and concept than a difference or a change.

December could easily have 30 days or 28 days instead of 31.

Other calendars have existed in other times and places, with more days and less days.

Some people have followed a lunar calendar, and their years have been counted differently, with the first of the month not falling on the same day year after year.

Adjustments are made to follow the perceived order of the earth's rotation around the sun (see difference here).

And we now have another adjustment with the addition of a second.

What I find really amazing is how the observable concept of 'time' is not 'perfect' according to man's calculation.

The earth's rotation around the sun is not perfectly 365 days as man understands days, hours, minutes and seconds...thus the need to add a second to 2016's year.

Although men have come up with 'time' and have measured it down to a nanosecond (one billionth of a second), the system of things is in perfect balance even when people play catch-up with their adjustments.

Comments

Ardeshir said…
Hi Edmund,

Happy New Year. This is nice piece, but this is a Quran Study Group. If you wish to quot any part of the Quran and reflect on it, you are welcome.

May God guide us all,
Ardeshir
Peace be with you and may you have a happy new year as well.

[ for the casual reader, this response is speaking to my sharing this particular article in a Facebook page Ardeshir administrates ]

Popular Posts