You must work hard while the book of God is still open, and God’s message is easily read. When the outside world comes, men will turn the page, and you may lose the place.”
–Harold Bell Wright (The Shepherd of the Hills)
“Remember how short my life is. Have You created everyone for nothing? What man can live and never see death? Who can save himself from the power of Sheol?”
“Remember how short my life is. Have You created everyone for nothing? What man can live and never see death? Who can save himself from the power of Sheol?”
–Psalm 89:47-48 (HCSB)
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“Our days on earth are as a shadow, and without hope.” (1 Chronicles 29:15, NKJV) I don’t know if this is a lament from David, or a statement of reality. For those who do not know Christ it shows a hopeless and wasted life, but one with Christ, life becomes more than a shadow. David writes further regarding this brevity of life.
“As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children.”
–Psalm 103:15-17 (NKJV)
Life is brief, that is the reality of life. It is a fact that all will eventually come to life’s end. All will die, never more to tread along the journey of life. It may be seventy years or less; some may be granted more, but the fact is that it will end.
Look at what David said–“our days are like a shadow.” A shadow has no substance; it cannot be grasped. Many times I have been camping or hiking in the forests. I have watched the “wisp-of-smoke” rise from a campfire and suddenly disappear. I have watched the mist lying low upon the ground begin to rise and suddenly it is no more. Once lifted there is not even a trace.
Someone has said, “Life is a series of breaths ordered by God to the fulfillment of purpose and then we leave this world sometimes way too soon.” We are but a thread in this thing we call “time.” And only a speck of dust in view of eternity; yet, yet this is a time appointed to each of us. The question is, what do we do with it? It was Seneca who said that, “the human span is long enough if time is properly employed–which it seldom is.”
Job says that, “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; he flees like a shadow and does not continue.” (Job 14:1-2, NKJV) He continues in verse 5, “Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.” (NKJV) “Tomorrow is not promised. We may plan for it, but we may not assume we can control it.” (Alistair Begg) Our time, down to the last second is determined by God.
So what do we do with this limited time? Do we simply fade as the mist into the air? Do we race the clock, trying desperately to get all done that we wanted to do in this moment of eternity? Begg writes, “The wise person knows that we have limited time and that the best way to spend it is on the Lord’s errands.” Our responsibility in this life that the Lord has given us is to grow in conformity to Christ. We are mortals, yet we are here for a purpose. However, this life should have purpose, and first and foremost is to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Then, and only then, is there more than a shadow to our life. Then, there is more substance to our life; it is not like the wisp of smoke.
Then secondly, our purpose is to be conformed to Christ, and thirdly, to further the kingdom of God. Ultimately our purpose is “To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”
———————————
“Our days on earth are as a shadow, and without hope.” (1 Chronicles 29:15, NKJV) I don’t know if this is a lament from David, or a statement of reality. For those who do not know Christ it shows a hopeless and wasted life, but one with Christ, life becomes more than a shadow. David writes further regarding this brevity of life.
“As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children.”
–Psalm 103:15-17 (NKJV)
Life is brief, that is the reality of life. It is a fact that all will eventually come to life’s end. All will die, never more to tread along the journey of life. It may be seventy years or less; some may be granted more, but the fact is that it will end.
Look at what David said–“our days are like a shadow.” A shadow has no substance; it cannot be grasped. Many times I have been camping or hiking in the forests. I have watched the “wisp-of-smoke” rise from a campfire and suddenly disappear. I have watched the mist lying low upon the ground begin to rise and suddenly it is no more. Once lifted there is not even a trace.
Someone has said, “Life is a series of breaths ordered by God to the fulfillment of purpose and then we leave this world sometimes way too soon.” We are but a thread in this thing we call “time.” And only a speck of dust in view of eternity; yet, yet this is a time appointed to each of us. The question is, what do we do with it? It was Seneca who said that, “the human span is long enough if time is properly employed–which it seldom is.”
Job says that, “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; he flees like a shadow and does not continue.” (Job 14:1-2, NKJV) He continues in verse 5, “Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.” (NKJV) “Tomorrow is not promised. We may plan for it, but we may not assume we can control it.” (Alistair Begg) Our time, down to the last second is determined by God.
So what do we do with this limited time? Do we simply fade as the mist into the air? Do we race the clock, trying desperately to get all done that we wanted to do in this moment of eternity? Begg writes, “The wise person knows that we have limited time and that the best way to spend it is on the Lord’s errands.” Our responsibility in this life that the Lord has given us is to grow in conformity to Christ. We are mortals, yet we are here for a purpose. However, this life should have purpose, and first and foremost is to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Then, and only then, is there more than a shadow to our life. Then, there is more substance to our life; it is not like the wisp of smoke.
Then secondly, our purpose is to be conformed to Christ, and thirdly, to further the kingdom of God. Ultimately our purpose is “To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”