Seasons

In God's Word we find David and Job comparing the span of our lives to a breath:

 

Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow (Psalm 144:4).

 

Oh, remember that my life is a breath! (Job 7:7a).

 

 

A breath takes only a second or two and it happens continuously without us even thinking about it!

 

Now if our lifespan is comparable to breath that means the seasons of our lives are only minutes long. Think about that… whether you are a teenager, a single adult, a husband and wife, or whatever your season—you have only a few minutes left before this season ends.

 

The problem is that sometimes we get so bogged down with daily life that we forget life is passing quickly. In fact many of us function as if our present season is going to last forever. 

 

John Calvin has a word for us in this regard.  He said:

 

Whence proceeds the great stupidity of men, who, bound fast to the present state of existence, proceed in the affairs of life as if they were to live two thousand years…. In short, men are so dull as to think that thirty years, or even a smaller number, are, as it were, an eternity; nor are they impressed with the brevity of their life so long as this world keeps possession of their thoughts… How speedily our life vanishes away.  The imagination that we shall have long life, resembles a profound sleep in which we are all benumbed.¹

 

Let's live in the present season that God has for us—doing what He has called us to do and be for His glory—but let's live as if we have just a few minutes remaining before we are brought to the next season of our lives.

 

This seems like a subject matter to ponder as we come closer to the end of another year and begin to embark on a whole new year full of adventure and wonder—a new season.

 

 

[1] John Calvin, Heart Aflame, (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1999), 219.