Time Is Short

What kinds of thoughts and feelings does the phrase “time is short” generate? We tend to want to see and enjoy the future, but sometimes that can be fleeting or evasive. Yet, we read in the Bible many times where people have persevered through rough times and come out rejoicing.

In the scheme of things, we find that life seems very short. What do we do with that limited time? We can learn from the example of David in the Bible. His life had ups and downs, highs and lows. He had a passion for God and God had made him king of the country. David wanted to do something great for God. David wanted to build God a house, a temple, where God and people could meet. Good intentions, yes, God’s plan? Not quite.

First, God gives David the big picture. God did/does not need a physical temple in which to dwell. He is much greater than that. God tells David, “You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders whom I commanded to shepherd my people, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’” 1 Chronicles 17:4-17
Look back at what God is telling David. God has been with His people the whole time they were traveling through, and living in the desert, anticipating their arrival into the promised land. Our great God was with them always. God even reminds them that a tent was a focal point during those years for God to make His presence known to them. God was not hindered by current circumstances.

That time in the desert must have seemed long (40 years!). You may sometimes feel like time moves slowly, while at other times it feels like it moves too fast. The certainty is that it moves, and our circumstances can change with it. God’s presence with His people in the desert is a great example of God being active and effective through change. He saw the situation as fluid. He did not wait 40 years to start His plan, it was unfolding right there in the desert.
We sometimes use the word sojourner to describe someone in the midst of change. A "sojourner" is a person who temporarily resides in a place, essentially meaning someone who stays for a limited time in a location that isn't their permanent home, often with the idea of moving on eventually; like a traveler passing through.

That describes each of us. Things as we know them are temporary. God will lead us everyday of our lives and we can see, experience, and accomplish wonderful, important, meaningful things as He directs. But this is not our home, and time is short. This is only temporary, a temporary stop. Yes, we enjoy our relationship with God through Christ right now and will throughout eternity. God, through Jesus, is changing history, redeeming and welcoming all people into relationship with Him! We look forward to spending eternity with Him.

David understands and accepts the direction that God is giving him, and he responds with this prayer:
“Praise be to you, Lord,
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.    I Chronicles 29:10-11
May that be our guiding prayer as well!