The Brevity of Life
A guest post by Chad Ramsey.
As Moses pondered man’s weakness in comparison to God’s strength, he provided a memorable description of man’s lifespan. He wrote:
“The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10).
Although Moses’s statement provides a general description of the length of man’s days, experience teaches us that seventy or eighty years is a benchmark. Some lives reach beyond that amount of time; others fall short. We realize that our physical bodies were not designed to live on this earth forever. Summarizing this truth, the wise man wrote:
“Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
Because Life is Short We Should Focus on Our Spiritual Health.
Because we realize our time on earth is limited, we should pay special attention to our spiritual health. This does not mean that our physical bodies should be neglected, for the Christian’s body “is the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19). As such, it should not be abused or misused.
Nevertheless, physical concerns should never become more important than spiritual ones. Making this point, Paul told Timothy:
“For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).
Because Life is Short We Should Remember We Live for Something Greater.
As we face the struggles and difficulties that result because of our physical frailties, we should do so knowing that we are living for something greater than this world. This is certainly what Paul had in mind when he wrote to the Corinthians:
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
Because Life is Short We Should Depend More on God.
James had the brevity of life in mind in James 4:11-17. But instead of merely asserting that life is brief, he used that well known fact to spur his audience to depend even more upon God.
Because we are unsure of what tomorrow holds, we should cling to the One who holds tomorrow. As James put it:
“Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that’” (James 4:15).
Rather than making plans as if God plays no role in our lives, we must proceed in a manner that shows the utmost respect, or godly fear for Him.
Life’s brevity should cause every Christian to think carefully about his or her plans.
Because life is short, we must not forget God.
Chad Ramsey preaches for the Gloster Street Church of Christ in Tupelo, Mississippi. You can access their Bible classes and Chad’s sermons on Gloster Street’s YouTube page.
Chad was - and still is - “my preacher” from when I spent my high school and early college years at Gloster Street. I’m thankful to be able to share some of his writings with you.
