According to a law amended by the U.S. Congress in 1986, at 2:00 this morning, the clocks of America were turned back one hour. Did you do your good citizen duty and rise at that hour to go through your house to change all the clocks? Probably not, especially the one on your VCR - you never could have managed such a complicated and frustrating task at 2:00 A.M.!

Haven't you ever wondered why it is we keep doing this? Why is it that from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October we have what we call "Daylight Savings Time"? Do we really think we're saving time, that we're actually getting more light for ourselves during this period of increasing darkness?

Well, I wondered, so I checked the history.

What I learned was that this was a cost savings device related first to World War I and employed again during World War II. The first to do it were the countries of Germany and Austria who advanced their clocks one hour beginning in April 1916 - their lead was followed by many other European countries, but this measure wasn't adopted in the US until 1918. The idea was that during the time of war, by changing the clocks, less fuel would be used to produce electric power. One year later, in the US, the law was repealed and 25 years later reenacted as "War Time" by President Roosevelt from 1942-1945. After that, states and localities were free to implement Daylight Savings Time, and there resulted a lot of confusion, especially in the broadcasting and transportation industries - they found they had to publish new schedules every time a state or town began or ended Daylight Saving Time. Finally, in January 1974, President Nixon signed into law the Daylight Saving Time Energy Act so that there would be consistency throughout the country.

What lesson can the Christian learn from this bit of history?

1) Most of us are keenly aware that at this time of year the sun rises a minute and a half later each morning and sets a minute and a half earlier each afternoon. As each day passes, we lose three minutes of light and gain three minutes of darkness.

In a spiritual sense, the same thing is happening - as Jesus Himself said, "Night is coming" (John 9:4) This can be seen in the faces of people we meet every day, and it is reported in the news we read and see on our living room screens. Evil is on the grow, each day the darkness increases.

2) We must be willing to admit that we are in a time of war. And no, I'm not speaking about the "War on Terrorism," but the battle for the souls of men and women everywhere. Satan and his powers of darkness are increasing their efforts to "steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10), but he can only be successful to the extent that Christians give up and place the light of the glorious Gospel "under a bushel" (Matthew 5:15).

3) The answer during America's wartime was to change the clocks - that won't work for us; we must rather take the light to the darkness. (Philippians 2:15,16)

Throughout the year, but especially during the Spring and Fall, we give a lot of attention to our missions efforts. Today it's Indonesia, Wednesday it will be the Ukraine; our own Deacon returns this afternoon from the mission to India; in three weeks our Pastor will encourage and train Pastors in Vietnam and Cambodia. At the same time, we struggle at home just to make ends meet, to pay the bills on time, to make it in a sluggish economy.

We are tempted to join the crowd that says, "Why should we spend 20 billion dollars rebuilding Iraq, when we have such huge economic needs right here in America?" Church people might ask, "Why should we be sending resources to other countries when we're having a hard time meeting the costs for the local church at home?"

The truth is, we don't have the luxury of a choice - we must do both, and our faith is being stretched to believe that with God's help we can do both.

In matters of giving, we must be faithful to bring the Lord's tithe to the Lord's House, and bring our offerings to be sent abroad, to take the light to the dark places.

In matters of praying, we must faithfully intercede for ourselves, our family, friends, and members of the Body of Christ we worship with each week, but we also are called upon to intercede on behalf of missionaries and persecuted brothers and sisters who right now are being subjected to the pain and suffering the darkness imposes on them.

And when it comes to going, we must be ready to bring light to the neighbors on our streets and work places, as well as send the light around the world.