HOW TIME FLIES! - ONLY ONE LIFE and IT WILL SOON BE PAST

        How time flies!, indeed in this life we are constantly reminded of the swiftness of the passage of time by the changing seasons of our life and as we stand today, we are coming to the end of another year. It is therefore not surprising, that the scriptures are replete with warnings and admonitions on how we should spend our time here on earth as a child of God because “time like an ever rolling stream, bears all it sons away” as the hymn writer Issac Watts would remind us that this life on earth is all we have and thereafter at the judgment seat of Christ  we would be asked to account for what we have done in our life. We are either judged to have glorified God in our life or that we have wasted it (1 Cor. 3:12-15) and that it cannot be repeated and unwind if we fail to do so.

I suppose several verses would have immediately resounded in your ears, from the OT we have the words of Moses; “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Ps 90:10-12) while from the NT we have the words of Apostle Paul;  “But this I say, brethren, the time is short:it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it:for the fashion of this world passeth away.” 1 Cor 7:29-31. The two thoughts contained in these two set of verses are particularly relevant to us as we move towards the threshold of another brand new year.

Firstly, we are to consider how little time we have to Glorify God and we are therefore to consider the Word of God and apply it to our life urgently. To do so, we first need to be mindful of  the shortness of our runway to be useful for God. If you are young, you shouldn't think that you have many days in the future for the service of God while for those who are old, you need to be mindful that your runway for usefulness is getting shorter as you woke up every morning. A relevant reminder is from James 4:14 where our life is liken to the evanescence of a Vapor. The time to spend and be spent for God is therefore now! You probably nod in agreement but may have problem with the next biblical injunction.

         Secondly, we are to be wise in that we are to “use this world, as not abusing it” because the fashion (form) of this world is slipping by. What does abusing mean to you?  I am sure you know that to abuse something is to use that something improperly, such as drugs abuse. In the scriptural context, the Apostle Paul would have meant that we ought to treat what God has given us in this world as temporal and slipping by such as our time, abilities, health, commercial activities, wealth and family and therefore should be in no way mars our primary goal in life of extending God's kingdom! But it appears that many of us would gave all the excuses one can master to build an earthly nest, setting hedges around it so as to seek career success, financial freedom, ease and comfort, seeking our golden fancies and golden dreams. Our Christian walk hardly cost us anything! This is what it meant by abusing the world - using it for what is not intended for!  Put it in another way, the Apostle Paul is admonishing us to subservient all the legitimate form of things of this life and consider the seeking of God's Kingdom and his righteousness as the paramount thing in our individual life.

         The worldings, those not in the Kingdom of God, are also cognizant that they have only one life to live and hence their goal is therefore to maximize their pleasure that they can have in this life. This can be seen in their pursuit of Golden fancies and Golden Dream of bigger houses and fanciful cars. Are your life an approximation to the worldings, in seeking ease and comfort, seeking the trivial things of this life, in using this world and abusing it, in the parlance of Apostle Paul?

This life, is all we have to glorify God.  The way forward is clear. The way to do so is a life of self denial, a life of cross bearing and a life of perseverance in following Christ (Matt. 16:24-27) in fulfilling the great commission so that others would come to know him in our immediate family circle, our classmates, our colleagues and together as a local church in the corporate endeavors in bringing the Gospel to our geographical vicinity, to Singapore and beyond. Lets ponder and deliberate on the two key verses this TODAY and may we resonate with C.T. Studd, an English Missionary, as in his poem, “Only one life and it shall soon be past”. Amen.

Only one life and it shall soon be past

“Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life's busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.


Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life,'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.


Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God's holy will to cleave;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.


Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill,
living for self or in His will;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.


When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.


Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e'er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.


Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, "twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.


Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say,"Thy will be done";
And when at last I'll hear the call,
I know I'll say "twas worth it all";
Only one life,'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last. "


Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I'll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”


C.T Studd