We are in a New Year and the first month is already half gone. Next week I will be celebrating my 69th Birthday. It is hard to believe sometimes! Time is passing ever so quickly. How precious is each and every day that we have been given.
Several days ago I was in prayer when suddenly the Lord asked me:
“What makes something precious in the natural world?”
I stopped and thought about the question. Obviously, gold and diamonds are worth more because there is not a large quantity of them. On the other hand, water even in today’s world is relatively cheap because there is lots of it. I replied to his question and said that in the natural world, the rarity of something determined how precious it was.
In response, I felt another question rise in my heart;
“How long is it given for a man to live his natural life?”
The answer to this question was simple and I replied instantly that we were promised at least seventy years and hopefully more.
And then for the third time, he asked me a question.
“How long will you spend in eternity with me?”
Having gone through a serious battle with cancer over the past two plus years, I have pondered the reality of eternity in a very deep way. I replied that “forever” was a longer time than I could really understand or comprehend.
In an instant, his word poured upon me. He spoke to me and said; “Like gold or silver the years that I have given you in your current life are few and precious. Because your time is limited, it is of great value! I have given you everything you need for life and godliness. Use each day for me. Bring forth my kingdom purposes with your precious days and you will store up for yourself treasure in heaven.”
In a moment I understood the essence of what he was saying to me. God has established the undeniable reality that apart from a people who are filled with his life and who are living according to his purposes, his plans for this earth will not be accomplished. Forever is infinite. “Time” as we know it will cease to exist when we leave this world. Today, he has given us a brief and precious “time” to devote ourselves to his purposes. The life we live now we live by faith in the Son of God. It is this life within us and a boldness to move in that faith that enables us to fulfill the purposes he puts before us.
When the day comes that we finish this life and stand before him, everything that was done in our natural strength will burn up in an instant. Flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God. (Cor.15:50) But everything that is born of him and brought forth through his life will enter the Kingdom of God with us. In some incredible way, the clothes that we will be wearing for eternity are being woven in this day as we live our lives in him. Yes, the time that we are given in this life is precious!
None of us can see clearly what might lay before us in the coming hours. But we pray and cry out for his supply and that his life would overflow from within us each moment. And then God’s purposes are manifest. In the natural, it may look natural! Maybe you are going to work or school. Maybe you feel you are just doing “ordinary” things in an “ordinary day”. But step out in them in the faith and love of Yeshua.
Be bold and step out beyond your ability and the wonder of God and his purposes will be manifest in your life. At the end of that day, as we exercise our faith, it is amazing how God has used us. We have walked in places that we could not have imagined and achieved things that were beyond our natural ability. And the treasure that will adorn us forever will be great!
This is our testimony and we pray that it be your testimony also.
This originally appeared in Zion’s Glory update, January 17, 2018, and reposted with permission.