Time is Fleeting for the Believer; May We Not Waste Our Moments
When our grandson was born, now almost eighteen months ago, one of the first characteristics we noticed was the size of his hands. For a newborn, he had such wide palms and long, slender fingers. Truthfully, my thoughts went first to the way he would be able to palm a ball, while others may have first thought about the way he would be able to play a piano. Truly, wherever his interests lay, whether athletics, the arts, or neither will be just fine. The only true quality that I began praying over a year ago, even before he was born was that he would grow up to give his heart to Jesus—to become a child of Almighty God.
Inhale. Now Exhale. A mere breath. Go ahead; breathe again and get a sense of the quickness of a single breath. Now, hold out your hand; look at the width of your hand. See the distance and maybe even compare the breadth of your palm width to another’s. The Bible tells us how the breadth of our hand is a mere moment to God.
“Surely every man is a mere breath. Selah.”
(The Psalms 39: 11b NASB)
Everything comes from God, even our lives.
Everything is a gift from God, even our next breath.
Our lives are fleeting.
Our lives are but mere moments to Almighty God.
Inhale. Exhale. That’s the length of our individual lives compared to the Creator of heaven and earth. Thus, we must not become so over-concerned about the accumulation of ‘things,’ of ‘career-gains,’ of ‘accolades,’ or of any other earthly ‘thing’ that might consume our minds. I speak to the believer, to the follower of Christ Jesus, for we are not here to collect but to give away that which was gifted to us. We are here to serve our Lord by generously giving whatever and wherever we are called to give or wherever we are called to go. The Word of God reminds us of this truth.
“Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand,
(The Psalms 73: 23-28 NASB)
With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is in the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works.”
Father God,
Remind us how we are foreigners, strangers passing through this world. Help us remember how our lives are a mere shadow and that our HOPE rests in You, Praise GOD!
“Then I spoke with my tongue:
(The Psalms 39: 3b-5 NASB)
LORD, make me know my end And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how transient I am.
Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah”
LORD,
Help us not look for joy in any other place, but in YOU.
Help us not to hold too tightly to anything within this earthly realm.
FATHER,
Bring to our mind anything (or anyone) who we are holding too tightly onto here on earth, and give us the strength to open our palms, to open wide our hands and release them to YOU.
“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears;
(The Psalms 39: 12 NASB)
For I am stranger with You, A sojourner like all my fathers.”
LORD,
Help us to store (up) treasures in heaven.
LORD,
We know how “these treasures” are the souls of precious ones You have created, those who You seek to save.
FATHER,
Remind us today how each life is a fleeting moment, a mere breath.
Help us remember today how there is NOTHING we can accomplish apart from YOU.
“I said, “I will guard my ways That I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence.”
(The Psalms 39: 1 and 7-8 NASB)
. . .
And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.
Deliver me from all my transgressions [from my sinful nature];
Make me not the reproach of the foolish.”