Every now and then. Have you ever thought of what that means? We use that phrase a lot. We use that phrase to mean occasionally, sometimes, not always, once in a while, every so often, every now and again. It’s a funny phrase, if you think about it. They call it an idiom. What’s that you say? My pea sized brain understands an idiom to be, basically, a group of words we put together that just don’t make sense. A group of words that mean one thing but we use them to mean another. Kind of like raining cats and dogs, bought the farm, see the light, eye of the storm.
Now, clearly, I’m not a grammar expert – did I hear someone say duh – but, I do like figuring out what words mean and how to use them. This started when Livi was in Middle School. She would use words that she clearly did not know the meanings, else she wouldn’t have used them. I told her repeatedly – don’t use words if you don’ know what they mean. It could get you in trouble. One day, the tables were turned, and she called me out. I had used a word that I thought I knew what it meant but, obviously, I was wrong. Did you know the word “hookup” doesn’t mean to meet or connect?! Sorry, rabbit hole.
Anyway, back to the phrase – every now and then. When the words are used collectively they mean infrequently. But let’s look at each individual word in the phrase, separately. What does every mean? It means all, or whole, or complete. What does now mean? It means today, instantly, right now, in this moment. What does then mean? Soon afterward, next in order of time, later. Now is now – then is then. Now is not then and then is not now. Different periods of time. Just get to the point, Beth. Okay, here it is:
Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “You are Simon, the son of John—but you will be called Cephas.” John 1:42
Simon – before. Cephas – after. Simon – now. Cephas — then. He was Simon – he will be called Cephas. What’s Cephas? Cephas in Aramaic means “the rock.” Cephas is Peter in Greek which means “the rock.”
Jesus saw Peter in the now – Simon, and he saw him in the then – The Rock. Jesus saw Peter for what he could be, not what he currently was. The new name reflects a new person, a new character, a new persona, a new life, a new birth, a new heart. Jesus saw him in the now – what he was on that day – just Simon. But, Jesus also saw Peter in the then – what his role would be in building the Church for all eternity.
In Mark 1, Jesus sees Simon out in a boat fishing. He calls from shore:
“Come be my disciples and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and went with him. Mark 1:16
Simon the fisherman – now. Cephas the disciple – then.
You know, we are all called, like Peter was called – every now and then. Jesus doesn’t occasionally call us. He always calls us. He calls us now – who we are at this moment because He sees the then – who we will be in Him.
In the now, Simon was obnoxious, harsh, impetuous, a reactor, a fisherman. In the then, Peter was the leader of the disciples, he was bold and faithful, the encourager of persecuted Christians, a fisher of men.
We too can see God every now and then. We can see Him in the now – today. We can see Him in the then – transformed and changed for all eternity.