Our Time is Short!
Greetings! I am glad you have joined me today. Our post is a timely and rather serious one. The topic is one that we will all have experience with, without exception. Although death is, in relation to our missing our loved one, quite sad, we will see that for the believer him or herself, it can bring hope, comfort, and joy. Please share with those you know who might need to hear this revelation of the Word of God today. Eric
When I was a young man, I remember thinking about how old I would be in the year 2000. At the time, I thought it was a long way off! Then, suddenly, here I am, twenty-four years after 2000 has passed, and it seems to have occurred in the blink of an eye!
Now, I am wondering, “Where has my life gone and what have I done?”
I am sure those who are of the older generation can relate. To you, I would say, “Finish well!” To those of you who are the younger generation, I want to offer this challenge: Consider how short your time is, be wise, and make the best of it!
“Live purposefully in the light of eternity. Time is short. Eternity is long. It is only reasonable that this short life be lived in the light of eternity.” (Charles Spurgeon).
We all need to be aware of what the Word of God says about our lives and the ‘time’ we each will be given by the Lord. Why? None of us is exempt!
Let’s begin by looking at what the Lord reveals in Psalm 31:14-16 (NIV), “But I trust in you, LORD; I say, "You are my God." 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.” ‘Times’ in the Hebrew means: experiences. According to Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, the phrase, “My times are in your hands” means “my destinies are under Divine Control.” Added insight is found and gained in Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, “All that pertained to him was under control and at the disposal of God. He would “live” as long as God should please. It was His to give life, His to preserve it; His to take away. All in relation to life - its origin, its continuance, its changes, its seasons, all was in the hand of God. We live as long as God has appointed.”
King David knew full well about how ‘short’ our earth-life journey is. In Psalm 39:4 through 6, he penned, “Let me know how fleeting my life is, You have made my days a mere handbreadth, the span of my years is as nothing before You, and everyone goes around like a mere phantom or illusion.” In comparison to eternity, our life is as the width of a hand and our life (breath) is like a vapor! The textual notes in the New Spirit Filled Life Bible adds, “When we come to death’s door, we realize how fleeting life is.”
We read many references in the Word of God about how quickly our short time on the earth passes. Our life is a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. (James 4:13-15 NIV). Man is like a breath, His days are like a passing shadow. (Psalm 144:3 and 4). Look at what 2 Peter 3:8 (ESV) reveals, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Our life is short! Eternity is long!
In fact, we are advised to not boast about tomorrow because we don’t know what a day may bring. (Proverbs 27:1 NIV).
A few examples of those who had no idea they were facing eternity, or their last day on earth that morning, are included in this list:
Over 2,000 died at Pearl Harbor.
Over 2,977 died by a terrorist attack in the U.S on 9/11.
1,534 died when the Titanic sank.
In 2023, approximately 44,000 souls left the earth from traffic crashes in the United States. (forbes.com).
God is eternal and our being created in His image lets us know that we are also eternal beings. However, what we must recognize is that the influence of sin and the resultant death that came about when Adam disobeyed God, means that our physical bodies will decay and die. Yet, our spirit lives on - either in heaven in the presence of God (if we have accepted the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ) or in hell, a place of eternal separation from God and a place of torment where the spirits of those who have rejected God will go.
One day there will be a separation of the spirit (breath) from the body and our physical body will return to dust. (Ecclesiastes 12:5 and 7). When the spirit leaves our physical body, death occurs.
The Holy Spirit encourages that if we hear His voice, we are not to harden our hearts. If our life ends suddenly, when we do not expect it to, and we have not accepted Christ, we will not enter into His rest. Thus, we are encouraged to make every effort to enter His rest. (Hebrews 3:7- 4:11).
You see, God chose us before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. He desires that we would choose to live our life in relationship with Himself. The time we have to fulfill His will for our lives on the planet is very short compared to the eternity we gain by the choices we make here.
2 Corinthians 6:26 (NIV), “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” When you accept Christ as Savior, you become a child of God and the location of your eternity, in His presence, will be established.
2 Corinthians 5:1 and 2 (NLT) reveals, for the believer, where our eternal home will be, “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.” Also, Paul reminds his readers that although they may live in the Roman Empire, they have a higher citizenship and really are only aliens on this earth , in Philippians 3:20 (NLT). Then, we read in Colossians 3: 1 and 2 (NLT), “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” Heaven is real!
Just as Moses chose Christ over the world, so we must choose Christ. (Hebrews 11:25 and 26 NLT). We see that Paul spoke very plainly and bluntly in Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT), “So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”
We only get one life to make right decisions and then we face judgement (Hebrews 9:37,28 NIV).
Since our time is short, we must be diligent in doing His Kingdom work in the time we have. John 9:4 (NLT) instructs us, “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming and then no one can work.” The Greek word nyx in this verse, translated ‘night,’ means: the time of death. We are not given opportunity to change any of the prior decisions we made, after our death
2 Timothy 1:9 (CSB) reveals, “He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace.” “Salvation is entirely a matter of God’s purpose and grace.” (Textual notes, New Spirit Filled Life Bible).
What is His purpose for you?
That you live all the days of your life for Him.
That you arm yourself with the same attitude as Christ - do not live the rest of your life for evil human desires, but for the will of God.
That you follow God’s example and walk in the way of love. (Galatians 5:1 and 2a).
“While I live, I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.” (Psalm 146:3).
What does the Lord require of you? To be just, to love, to diligently practice kindness, to be compassionate, and to walk humbly with your God. (partial paraphrasing of Micah 6:8 (Amp)).
By the mercies of God, dedicate yourself as a living sacrifice to God. Worship Him, become spiritually mature by renewing your mind through the Word of God and prove what the will of God is - that which is good, acceptable and perfect.” (partial paraphrasing of Romans 12:1,2)
Our time is short!
Your time is short!
You cannot afford to procrastinate regarding making the decision to live for Christ.
Tomorrow is not promised to you.
“You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalm 139:15,16 (NLT).
I believe with all of my heart that there can be nothing better and, in fact, nothing could ever compare, to our coming face to face with our living Lord and Savior on the day when our fleeting life comes to an end here on the earth, and we hear Him say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21a)
NIV New International Version
ESV English Standard Version
NLT New Living Translation
CSB Christian Standard Version