What’s Your Timeline?

When will you die? How will you die? What will you do with the life you have before you die?

WHEN THESE QUESTIONS BECOME MORE REAL

Wow, those are big questions if you take them seriously. Those who have unexpectedly lost a loved one or come close to death probably understand how real these questions are.

As I have experienced failure, sin, success, and the passing of years, and have sat right next to death many times, even having been threatened with death myself, certain things stay at the forefront of my mind.

WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND EACH DAY?

God’s authority. He is sovereign. His ultimate purposes will prevail, regardless of my decisions. Christ paying for my sins. Salvation is a gift I could never earn. I receive it through faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. God’s Word. I hang on every word in the Bible because those are God’s wise words. I want to listen, trust, and actually do what God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit teach. And I want to live with eternity in mind.

THE TIMELINE OF YOUR LIFE

Look at the timeline in my illustration. God has no beginning or end. Our lives, maybe 70 or 80 years, are just a blip on the eternal radar screen of God’s timeline. Yet what we do with those years matters tremendously. How do you live? What’s your priority? Do you live as though this life is all there is?

The writer of Hebrews said: “Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is clear and lies open before him, and to him we must explain the way we have lived.” (Hebrews 4:13 NCV)

Think about that. One day, we will give an account to God for how we lived. Our decisions, priorities, motives, and how we treated others matter. He also said: “God’s word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12 NCV)

WHAT DIRECTS YOUR LIFE?

God’s Word doesn’t just tell us how to live. It exposes what’s really going on inside us. Our thoughts, motives, and intentions. That’s why I want to keep reading it, learning from it, and allowing it to change me.

But here’s the great news. The same passage reminds me that Jesus understands our weaknesses. He was tempted as we are, yet never sinned. Because of Him, we can confidently approach God to receive mercy and grace when we need it (Hebrews 4:14–16).

And the psalmist reminds me that even our next breath depends on God: “When you take away their breath, they die and turn to dust.” (Psalm 104:29 NCV)

That explains who I am, and who God is. We make plans for tomorrow, next year, and retirement, yet none of us knows how many days we have left.

HOW ETERNITY AFFECTS YOU

So what changes when I live with eternity in mind?

I cherish God more. I love Christ for who He is, not just what He does for me. I listen to the Holy Spirit, or at least try to. I forgive more quickly, try to love others as myself, and I really love myself. I try to hold my stuff more loosely and spend my time on things that actually matter. I try to stop living as though this temporary world is my permanent home.

When I live cherishing God, loving Christ, listening to the Holy Spirit, loving others as myself, and keeping eternity in mind, I become different. I live differently. Life becomes better and more meaningful, even when it’s hard.

So how do you live? What’s your timeline?

GOD, please give me eternal eyes. Help me live every day with eternity in mind. Teach me to use the life You’ve given me wisely, loving You and loving others. IJNIP, Amen. ♥️