How fast does life go by?

Pretty fast according to James ........

Here's what he said about it. And he said it in the context of talking to businessmen, who were making plans about what they were going to do with their lives and their time.

James 4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;

James 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

James 4:15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

James 4:16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

James 5:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

You notice above, in the last part of James 4:14, that he asks a question about "your life?" He asks, what is it? And, then he answers it, "It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away"

So, two things are said about our lives, and how fast they go by.

1. Our lives are likened unto a vapor. Vapor comes from a word meaning to breathe, and speaks of air. The dictionary defines it as mist, steam, fumes, fog, and smoke. In other words, our lives go by so quickly, just like the morning fog appears, and before you know it, it's gone. Or the steam that you see coming off of kettle of boiling water. It's there for just a moment, not even a moment, and then it's gone. Well, that's what our lives are like with respect to time.

2. Vanishes away. That's what was mentioned in the verse, and the above comment. Vanishes, means, to snatch out of sight. To make unseen, to put out of view. To cause to vanish.

So, that's it. That's how fast our lives go by. But, here's what the Lord said through James about our lives and our plans.

We can live with God's will in mind, and therefore make the best use of our lives, and be the most productive in our lives, and connect our quickly vanishing life here below with eternity above in heaven, forever and ever.

You see, we have the choice of living with God, or without God. What James was encouraging, was to "coordinate" your life here below, with God who is above.

In other words, bring your quickly disappearing life into submission with our eternal God and His will and desires for your life. That's how to live the most satisfying and meaningful life.

It will still go by quickly, but it will be fruitful, fruitfulness that will remain.

Thank You Lord for the wonderful comfort that we derive from Your Word. It's such a blessing to us.

Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia

Application/Promises

1. Life goes by faster then we know.

2. Its sometimes amazing to us how quickly it goes by.

3. People say it goes by faster and faster as you get older.

4. I believe that. I've got the same perspective.

5. Speed does not mean we can't anchor down into God's will.

6. Being in step with God here, means real success in life.

7. Following the Lord now, invests our eternal futures.