Perfect timing!

The man sitting opposite me looked up from his laptop computer at 6.41 pm and looked out of the train window.  Then he closed it down, rose to his feet, removed a case from the luggage rack and packed his laptop away.  I smiled and said "Perfect timing!".  "Yes", he replied, "I practice it every day".  With that he bade me farewell and made his way towards the far door of the carriage while I rose and made my way to the door that was nearer to my seat.  A moment later an announcement told us we were approaching Market Harborough Station.  At 6.43pm we both stepped onto the platform.

I had seen the man in the morning catching the 6.53am to London, though I suspect he had not noticed me.  Throughout both trips he had worked solidly for just over an hour on his laptop.  I imagined what life must be like for this man who I judged to be in his early sixties.  Five days a week his working day is at least 12 hours long, the same routine day after day, and totally absorbing.  I imagined what happened the moment he sat in an easy chair in the evening and closed his eyes... just for a minute!

Perfect timing certainly described his arrival at the stations both ways, and his almost automated departure at the end of the return journey.  But was it perfect timing as far as his life was concerned.  Was there time for family and friends?  Was there time for God?

As far as I was concerned it had been another long day and I wasn't sure that I had the energy to do a little more work that evening.  It was Thursday and I had been teaching Salvation Army Cadets (Officers still in training) at their College in Denmark Hill.  The day before I had spent in Nottingham helping to interview applicants for a key senior post in the Congregational Federation.  The next day it would be back to Nottingham for two days sharing in vocational interviews for those advancing in their studies, some with hopes that this would lead to ministry in one of the churches.

It all fitted nicely into the diary, (apart from the bits that could not be squeezed in).  Perfect timing?