Sometimes at the end of the day I would wonder, 'where did the time go?' This happens most times when I was extremely busy at work or working on a project and I lost all sense of time while battling with the assignment.
Looking back at my fifty plus years on earth, I can't help but think, 'where did all those years go?' Yet as I think of this, the clock in my living room continues to count the seconds without stopping. It goes 'tick-tock tick-tock' without caring about my concerns regarding the passing of time. It makes me remember the various sayings about time, 'Time waits for no one' and 'A stitch in time saves nine'
My thoughts are not really on the issue of time now but rather on how we get so caught up in the now that we don't even think so much of eternity. When eternity is mentioned, some of us have the attitude which says, 'oh boy, eternity is a long, long, time to come'. So we focus on the now. We are more interested in the stock prices than the statistics of saved/unsaved people.
We are concerned more about the world price of oil while many for whom the ultimate price has been paid, are steadily heading to hell. We worry about changes in our body and seek ways to care for it while our spirit starves due to lack of adequate spiritual nutrients.
We live our lives as if the thought of heaven and hell is something we should be take seriously when we become senior citizens. It is becoming less fashionable to preach about heaven and hell in our churches. I used to wonder those days when I walked the streets of Lagos, Nigeria and see all the banners and posters put up by various churches promoting their conferences and special programs. It was very common to see themes like, '7 ways to prosperity', 'Overcoming poverty in your life', 'Your enemies shall bow', '6 steps to financial success' ,'Visit Jesus Baby factory' and the list go on.
Please don't get me wrong, I am not saying prosperity is wrong or seeking victory over our enemies is not important. My fear is that the church is getting caught up in the now at the expense of eternity and many of us are beginning to lose sight of our future in Christ.
Check out your prayer life. When last did you pray about the salvation of souls? When last did you meditate about eternity? You bet I am asking the same questions from myself as I write this.
The fact that some prophecies have not been fulfilled in the Bible concerning Christ's return, gives some of us a false sense of eternity being very far into the future. Let us understand this, the prophecies my not be fulfilled in our lifetime but the minute our heart stops, our eternity begins.
Let us not lose sight of eternity. It is of utmost importance that we keep focus on the fact that we are closer to eternity every time the seconds count. The day of the Lord draws nearer each day we live. We cannot afford to become complacent because eternity is just a heartbeat away.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1John 3:2-4)
(First written June 2009, Updated September 2019)
Steve Popoola is the editor of Biblepraise Newsletter and the founder of the Biblepraise Fellowship Online at http://www.biblepraise.org. He lives in Kent, United Kingdom, where he works as an IT Professional. He currently serves as a Worship Leader as well as Home Group Leader in his local church and on occasion, speaks at invited events. He is the founder of the BiblepraiseFellowship Online Ministry and Moderator/Editor of the Biblepraise Newsletter. He can be reached through His email address, steve@biblepraise.org
