The Brevity of Life

I had another birthday this past week and as I keep telling my wife, I am not old, but I do realize that I am not as young as I once was. My Mom has told me for years, you are only as old as you feel; that being the case, I can’t be too old for I feel pretty good. (And I thank the Lord for that) However, I pondered about a few things this past week that help me view this “age” thing with a realistic perspective.

Have you ever played one of those games that uses a sand timer? Normally the timer lasts one to three minutes, but regardless of the measure of time, we tend to respond in like fashion. At first we are not very concerned because there is so much sand at the top and it appears to trickle through the center ever so slowly; but then when the bottom is noticably fuller than the top, we pick up the pace and refocus our efforts.

I have looked a bit at the hourglass of my life this past week. I am fifty-two years of age. I am twice the age of my youngest son. This year marks thirty-six years since the year of my salvation. If the Lord grants me three score and ten, two-thirds of my earthly ministry has already escaped to the bottom of the hourglass.

James 4:14 gives a graphic reminder of the brevity of life, likening it unto a vapor which appears for just a little time and then vanishes away. I have often made mention of the little saying, “Only one life will soon be passed, only what’s done for Christ will last.” I must say, with each passing year, that saying has more and more significance.

Of course, none of us knows how much time we have left, but this week has challenged me with three thoughts:

1) The brevity of my earthly existence

2) The fulfillment of my heavenly calling

3) The necessity of investing the rest of my life wisely

I heard the story of a man who had visited a cemetery one day and was looking at the various tombstones taking note of how long each person had lived. Over and over he would see “Born” such and such a day, followed by a dash and then “Died” such and such a day. Then it struck him; life is that “dash” between our birth and our death.

That’s a sobering thought; it certainly can feel that way at times. God give me the grace so that my “dash” makes an eternal difference in your kingdom and for your glory.