TIME PASSES QUICKLY AS WE APPROACH ETERNITY

Victor M. Eskew

 

          Every human being who is presently living only knows a world that is bound by time.  When we were young, time seemed to pass very slowly.  The school years were long.  It seemed like graduation from high school would never come to pass.  The wait between Christmases seemed like eons of time. 

          Then, something happened.  We are not sure when the switch was turned on, but time began to speed up.  Birthday after birthday came quickly.  The children went from newborns to adults almost overnight.  We found that we had been in our professions for thirty, forty, and fifty years.  The time between Christmases is no longer measured by eons of time.  Christmases come with the blink of an eye.

          Those of us who are older know that time is passing quickly.  The Bible teaches us that life is very, very brief in multiple figures.  One of the best known involves a vapor.  James writes:  “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (Jam. 4:17).  The book of Job provides us with several pictures of the brevity of life.  In Job 7:6 we read:  “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle…”  One chapter later, life is compared to a shadow.  “(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon the earth are a shadow)” (Job 8:9).  Then, in Job 9:25, we learn that are our days “are swifter than a post:  they flee away, they see no good.”  A post is simply a runner who carries a message.  He delivers the message and swiftly departs much like life itself.  The passing of life is compared to a swift ship and an eagle.  “They are passed away as the swift ships:  as the eagle that hasteth to the prey” (Job. 9:26).  In the psalms, our lives are likened unto a handbreath.  “Behold, thou hast made my days as a handbreadth…” (Ps. 39:5).  In Psalm 78:39, life is said to be like a passing wind.  “For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again” (Ps. 78:39).  Another figure that is used often in the Bible to show how brief life is involves both the grass and the flowers of the fields.  “For all flesh is as grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass.  The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away” (1 Pet. 1:24, see also Job 14:2; Psa. 103:15).

          Sooner than expected, our time on earth is finished.  Solomon describes our end with these poetic words:  “Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was:  and the spirit unto God who gave it” (Eccl. 12:6-7).  Yes, when life is over the body returns to dust (Gen. 3:19).  Note, however, that our spirit returns unto God who gave it.  Dear readers, God lives outside the bounds of time.  God’s environment is eternal in nature.  When we die, we step out of time and enter into God’s environment, eternity.

          With time passing so rapidly, we need to learn how to properly manage the seconds, minutes, hours, and days that we have on this globe.  Moses realized the need to manage our time well because life will be soon cut off, and we will fly away.  He penned these words in Psalm 90:10-12.  “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away…So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”  Paul had a similar message to the saints in Ephesus.  He wrote:  “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:15-17).

          How do we “number” our days?  How do we “redeem” the time?  The key is to focus on things that are spiritual in nature.  In eternity, our physical man will not matter.  At death, we will cast off this earthly tabernacle.  Everything that was so important to our outer man in this life will mean nothing.  In eternity, only our spiritual man will be significant.  Therefore, we need to focus on the things that mold, strengthen, and improve that which will survive death.  We need to eat the right things.  We need to clothe our inner man with the proper attire.  We need to exercise ourselves unto godliness.

          It is not easy to focus on the spiritual man.  It takes intentional effort to do so.  We have to forsake things that appeal to the flesh.  We have to postpone things that the world deems to be vital.  We have to center our thoughts on things above.  We have to develop our character into the image of Christ.  We have to engage in activities that will enable us to lay up treasures in heaven.  “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:24-25).  By means of the divine revelation given to us by the Holy Spirit, we can live in the Spirit.  When we conform our lives to the teachings of the God’s Word, we are walking in the Spirit.  This is precisely where the spiritual man must be centered at all times.

          When our time on earth is through, we will be remembered by two dates, our date of birth and the date of our death.  Between the two dates will be a small dash that will represent our life on earth.  That dash is short.  It is the perfect representation of the brevity of life.  Dear reader, time passes quickly as we approach eternity.  You cannot stop your journey.  You cannot change the fact that one day you will arrive at the end of time.  The only thing you can do right now is prepare for the eternity into which you will be cast when your time here is no more.  Let’s think seriously about these things as we say, “Good bye” to 2025 and say, “Hello,” to 2026.  Yes, this year is just about gone.