Life on Earth Is Very Short

With the Lord... a thousand years [are] as one day.

2 Peter 3:8

Do the math—Abraham was born on Monday. King David was born on Tuesday. Jesus was born on Wednesday. The middle ages flashed by yesterday, and our generation will have passed before this morning is over. Another 30 generations will have passed by tomorrow morning.

By God’s scale, 70 years pass by every 100 minutes. So, imagine a person who does not believe in or obey God. He is making his mark in the world, but God looks down and says, “He’ll be gone in 90 minutes.” God says, “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (Jas. 4:14).

When we get anxious about the state of the world, let’s remember that to the Almighty, the whole of human history is very short. So, when “The kings of the earth set themselves… against the LORD and against his Anointed… the Lord holds them in derision” (Psa. 2:2, 4). He is not worried about His enemies, so you don’t need to worry about them either.

This cuts the root of our self-importance. Your life on earth is very short, so what really matters? You might think that what matters is your education, your career, your opportunities, your investments, your health, your travel, and your quality of life. But, as far as God is concerned, all of us will be in His presence in less than 90 minutes.

Once you see that, you will have a very different idea of what matters: “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psa. 90:12).

Ask God to give you the wisdom to see what really matters.