The Sands of Time

In an hourglass, the sand seems to drift so slowly. Grain after grain falls, yet at first there seems to be almost no impact. So much sand remains unmoved. It almost seems that the process will last forever.

Then we turn our head, or blink. Looking back, we realize that more grains have fallen. What once seemed like an endless supply has dwindled. That more time has passed. Soon, sand which once seemed to fall so slowly, suddenly seems to be racing downward. As the momentum builds, what once seemed like an infinite future, soon seems to be coming to an end rapidly.

Hourglasses provide insightful pictures of our lives. For the young, the future can look endless, as if the present will last indefinitely. Then, just like the sands in that hourglass, we blink and, seemingly overnight, time passes. Days meld into weeks and years. And we begin to realize that change has overcome us. That the future seems to be racing by at an accelerated pace.

In one way or another, all of us have experiences like this. In fact, the Bible reminds us that the years of our life soon “fly away.” We realize that the future is not infinite or endless, as we once might have imagined.

This is not a cause for depression, but discernment, and why we need to “number our days.” To seek God’s wisdom. To be good stewards and prayerfully invest the resources He gives us. To take advantage of every opportunity, and make the most of every moment. While looking forward to eternity, celebrating the blessings of life. Rejoicing in God and His many gifts to us.