Time Running Out

The article emphasizes the limited nature of time and encourages using it wisely to fulfill meaningful purposes, especially in serving God.

I’ve reached a point in life where it’s clear that time is running out. Oh, nothing imminent, but there are inescapable indications in body and mind.

Of course, time is running out for all of us, and we’ve all known it since we came to understand what death is and absorbed the truth that we are not exempt. It’s mostly theoretical to us when we’re young and relatively healthy—until death strikes close to us or we become seriously unwell. For a time, the concept of death becomes much more real to us, and that we only have so much time. And the kicker is, we don’t know how much time. Not everyone survives to the point of feeling in body and mind how time is running out.

In the only psalm we know of written by Moses (Psalm 90), he reflects on death. His thoughts jump around some, challenging us to follow his thinking, but it’s quickly plain that his thoughts go very deep. He talks about how brief life is, as we’ve just been remarking. Then he prays, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”1 (verse 12) What he means, I think: “Time is running out. Don’t forget it; be wise about how you use it.”

Moses is far from alone. David, Solomon, Paul, James, and more make the same point.

The point here is not to be depressing! (I’m sorry if it has felt that way.) The fact is that whatever we would like to do, time is running out to get it done. Secular motivational speakers and writers make this point all the time. How much more should we heed this truth when thinking about what we want to do in the LORD’s service but keep putting it off?

There are things to say and do for people we love. There are relationships to be built or repaired. There are a thousand good things to work on in our churches, communities, and beyond. There is good news to share about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.  Some personal patterns and habits need pruning, and others need cultivating.

Time is running out. At some point, we will realize that time is up—we are no longer capable or have lost the opportunity.

I’m sorry, I’m not as good at this as those secular motivational writers. We need to be upbeat and energized to turn the uncertainty of our life into motivation to be doing while there’s still time. Where do we find the energy, the motivation?  A loving God, a shining hope, a living Lord.

Paul Zilmer,
Bloomington Ecclesia, IL