Sometimes, I participate with a group of writers, Five Minute Friday, who write for 5 minutes on a weekly prompt. This week’s prompt is “Soon.”
I like to sit awhile and let the word marinate in my soul. Sometimes it is very surprising the thoughts that come to me. This time, two different ideas presented themselves. After some debate, I decided why not do both? I spent 5 minutes writing each option. I spent more time looking up the words to a hymn, some scripture and created a graphic. I’m sharing option 1 below; if you’d like to read option 2, I’m sharing it on my other blog, Jerralea’s Journey.
Option 1
Growing up in the church, we often sang a song entitled, “Just A Little While,” whose first verse started with the words, “Soon this life will all be over.”
Soon this life will all be over
E. M. BARTLETT – PUBLIC DOMAIN
And our pilgrimage will end,
Soon we’ll take our heav’nly journey,
Be at home again with friends;
Heaven’s gates are standing open,
Waiting for our entrance there,
Some sweet day we’re going over,
All the beauties there to share.
Refrain:
Just a little while to stay here,
Just a little while to wait,
Just a little while to labor
In the path that’s always straight,
Just a little more of troubles,
In this low and sinful state,
Then we’ll enter Heaven’s portals,
Sweeping through the pearly gates.
Sign of the times
Today, when I think of the word soon, I’m thinking how much closer it is to the end times.
You might say, “Well I’ve heard the Lord is coming back all my life and it hasn’t happened yet.”
My friend, your saying such a thing is proof the end times are near.
Above all, you must understand that in the last days
2 PETER 3:3-4 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
scoffers will come,
scoffing and following their own evil desires.
They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?
Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on
as it has since the beginning of creation.”
Each person also has an end time
Regardless of the second coming, it will always be true that our lives will soon be over because from the day we were born we have been racing toward the day of our death.
Such a little time here to savor the wonders of life, to choose your eternal destiny, and to leave a legacy when you go.
I know I’m much closer to my date of departure than I have ever been; and it is time to stop wasting time. I’m the champion of time wasting, by the way!
If not now, when?
No time like the present to mend fences, speak of your love, declutter possessions to free your family, and to mark off those things off your bucket list you’ve been avoiding.
No time like now to say “yes” to your calling!
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Yes, it’s so true that even if Jesus doesn’t come back very soon, we are all living in our own personal end times and we don’t know how much longer we have. It should remind me to live wisely. Visiting from IMM today.
It challenges me to work on not wasting time. I’m champion at it!
Thanks for coming by!
I like what you said about our personal end times. So true. Great reminder to continue strong in the race.
Yes! We want to press on. The finish line is closer than we think.
Jesus’ soon and a five-year-old’s soon – why do I feel like they are getting closer to being on the same page – that soon will be “right now?”
Maryleigh, I love your comparison between a child’d concept of time and the Lord’s. I agree – it is getting ever closer.
Oh Boy! Such a timely message Jerralea, If not now, when? Absolutely, I have been bringing things in alignment with that little quote. We honesty do not know how much time we actually have, so why waste it?
It is so difficult for me because I’m a lifelong day dreamer and time waster.
Thanks for visiting, Donna!
My thoughts have been circling the brevity of time and the SPEED of the calendar pages flipping! We dare not dally!
Exactly! The bible says our life is as a vapor. I’ve seen the illustration with spraying a can of air freshener. The puff of air-driven freshener disappears pretty quickly.
In light of eternity, even if you lived 100 years – like my friend, Myrtle Martin, who will be 100 on Saturday – the time goes by likea puff of air.
Jerralea, you mulled this over so well! I have often said I have less days to live than I have already lived. May I live the rest out to His glory!
I’m with you. May we finish well!
Thanks for dropping by, Joanne.
This is a good reminder for us to use our time wisely. The time is near!
I am more and more aware of how much closer I am to leaving this world and stepping into the other. One way God reminds me is as we sing many of those beautiful hymns where the last verse in about going home to be with Him. Those verses have taken on a richer meaning than every before.
Jerralea, that hymn gives me such hope tonight, a right perspective, a glimpse of what matters most. Thank you.