Life goes faster than you think! (Part One)

From the desk of Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible Expositor & Teacher. Life really goes faster than you think! We live in the space between one breath and the next. We often try to maintain an illusion of permanence, through what we do, say, wear, buy, and how we enjoy ourselves and who and how we love. Yet it is a misconception (illusion) that is constantly being undermined by change and death. Apostle James puts it this way, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). “You are just a vapor” means that human life is fleeting and temporary, like a mist or fog that quickly appears and then disappears, emphasizing the brevity and impermanence of our time on earth. A vapor is a fine mist that quickly dissipates, leaving nothing behind, which is used as a metaphor for how quickly our lives can pass by. We can enter eternity at any moment! Understanding life as a vapor encourages people to live with purpose and not waste time on trivial matters, as our time on earth is limited. The Bible reminds us that, compared to eternity, an individual life on earth is like a vapor chased away by the morning sun. It is important for us to recognize the brevity of life so that we don’t squander the time we’ve been given. Going into eternity apart from the salvation Jesus offers amounts to squandering the time that was graciously given. This is why Scripture says, “So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). In other words, God wants us to live with purpose, recognizing that the clock is counting down to the moment we step through death’s doorway and enter our eternal state. At that moment, the books are closed, and we will begin to reap the consequences of our choices on this side of eternity (Hebrews 9:27; Luke 16:19–31). It is appointed unto men once to die, but Jesus has conquered sin and death, and for this reason, we must pay close attention to Him and what He has done and said. Be encouraged!