Running Out of Time (1)

Running Out of Time (1)

Author Cindy Dees posted the following Tweet on Twitter:

“Life is always shorter than we want it to be. That’s why you have to live it like you’re running out of time.”

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5: 16 – NASB)

People laugh at me when I say I am going to die at 75 years old. They rightly tell me no one knows the day of their death, but God.

So let me assure you, I am not predicting the day (or year) of my death.

What I am doing is reminding myself how little time may remain for me to accomplish what God has called me to do. I have already passed the three-score years and ten, the length of days Scripture indicates we are allotted. While many in our day live longer than that, there are no guarantees.

I have found it helpful to make five year plans; writing a list of what I hope to accomplish in that time-frame. It keeps me focused, and reminds me constantly to redeem the time, and not be lax in my approach to the work of God.

Someone asked me what would happen if I live longer than the seventy-five years I expect to live.

My response?

“I’ll just make another five year plan.”

Whatever time you and I have left of this life, and make adequate preparation for the next.

We are all of us “running out of time.

Time

(© 26^th May 2015 – by Christopher Shennan)

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5: 16 – NASB)

The time God has allotted me

I do not know and cannot guess;

I only know – the time I have –

I want to give more, not less.

Time may be running out for me,

Or I may have a little more;

I may have time to do some good

Before I gain that distant shore.

Whatever time that I have left

Is a precious commodity;

A gift I can share with others.

As they, in turn, share theirs with me.

Oh, fellow pilgrims use your time,

As a gift from God above;

A gift for which we have the choice

To spend on self – or spend for love.

Please visit My website: www.christophershennan.ca
My blog: https://christophershennan.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

Wooden Hourglass 2 by S. Sepp. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at this link. No changes were made to the image.

Loving Service

Loving Service

(Picture Credits at end of post)

 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (John 14:15 – NASB)

I read of a man working in the forest who took his dog with him. Coming to a clearing he put his lunch pail down and commanded the dog to stay and watch the pail. So saying he went further into the forest to do his work.

While the man was away a forest fire swept over that region, right where the dog was. In perfect obedience to his master’s command, the dog stayed where he was. He loved his master and therefore obeyed him, even at the cost of his own life.

The dog’s obedience was not out of duty – it was out of love. The dog loved his master, and it was love that caused the obedience. Love should always be the fountain from which service to our Lord flows. It may be our duty to do certain things for God, but the moment we perform that duty out of love for Him, it changes from a duty into a delight.

If our service to God feels like drudgery in any way, perhaps it is time to re-examine our motivation for that service. Is it out of love for God, or is it out of mere duty.

Prophetic of Jesus Christ, Psalm 40 declares:

Then I said, “Behold, I come;

In the scroll of the book it is written of me.

I delight to do Your will, O my God;

Your Law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:7-8 – NASB)

Delight should always be a word synonymous with any service we perform for our Lord. The absence of delight always indicates the absence of love.

In His letter to the church in Ephesus Jesus commended them for all their wonderful deeds of service. Then He said: But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. (Revelation 2:4 – NASB)

We have great cause to love Him:

We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 – KJV)

You loved me first, my God

And my love came far behind;

Before I saw the love You bore me,

Love within me could not be found.

But Thy love created love for Thee –

In me. – Christopher Shennan

Check out my books for sale at My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

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