The Big Picture – God’s Perspective on Time

Sometimes, we get so focused on the here and now that we lose sight of the big picture. There is so much more to your life than just your temporary existence on earth. 

THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST THE HERE AND NOW

James 4:14 tells us, “We don’t know what will happen tomorrow for your life is like a morning fog – it’s here a little while and then it is gone.”

Our entire life on earth is like a morning mist. We appear briefly and then vanish from earth.

Psalm 39 shows us how short life on Earth really is…

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” (Psalm 39:4-5)

Life on earth is fragile and so short compared to the big, eternal picture. 

Often, we get so caught up in our temporary lives on earth that we give no thought to the big eternal picture.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 tells us that “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die.”

While there is a time for everything, death is not the end of existence. It is rather the beginning of a future that will far outweigh our lives on earth. 

Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that God “has set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

In every human heart is a God-given awareness that there is “something more” than this transient world. Deep inside, we all have an inborn knowledge that there is more to life than what we can see and experience in the here and now.

Psalm 90 gives an incredible perspective of life on earth and God’s eternal plan…

“Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.” (Psalm 90:2)

God is the creator of life. He is the everlasting God. Life is his invention, and he has an eternal perspective and an eternal plan.

“For you (God), a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.” (Psalm 90:4)

From God’s perspective, a thousand years on earth is like a passing day in eternity. Wow. There is so much more to our lives than just our temporary existence on earth. 

Think about it: if 1000 years on Earth is like a passing day, and if there is something bigger awaiting us in the future beyond the grave, then we should not get so bogged down by the craziness of our temporary lives on Earth. 

We often get so worked up with life. We get stressed out when things don’t go well. We often get so stuck up in the rat race of life, running hard, like a hamster on the wheel, running frantically but going nowhere.

According to God’s perspective, there is more to life than the here and now.

“You sweep people away like dreams that disappear. They are like grass that springs up in the morning. In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered.” (Psalm 90:5-6)

From God’s point of view, life on earth is brief, like a few hours. And we get so caught up in the chaos of life.

“Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away.” (Psalm 90:10)

At first glance, this looks incredibly morbid.

You may say, “Well then, what’s the point?”

Everything seems utterly meaningless. There is so much more to life than just a few short years on earth.

Whether a person lives to be 70, 80, 100, or even 150, this is still so short compared to their eternity.

And this scripture confirms that we all face trouble during our short earthly lives. We live in a fallen world that is filled with pain, heartache, and trouble.

But if 1000 years on earth is the equivalent of a day in eternity, we don’t need to get so worried about the immediate future, and we don’t have to live in fear of what may or may not happen.

We should rather treat our troubles like a passing nightmare, for there is something more awaiting us beyond the grave. 

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life (to number our days), so that we may grow in wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

Have you lost sight of the true meaning of life? Have you lost sight of the big picture?

Colossians 3:2 implores us to “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

We need to be heavenly-minded. 

Have you heard the old saying that you can “be so heavenly minded” that you are “no earthly good”? Could it be that we have actually become so worldly and earthly-minded that we are no heavenly good? 

Ecclesiastes 11:9 tells us, “Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in.” 

In other words, live your life to the full. Live free. Live with purpose and passion. Enjoy life. Life is too short to get bitter and twisted. Make the most of every day, no matter what life throws at you. 

But this scripture goes on and warns us, “But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do.” (Ecclesiastes 11:9)

Yes, make the most of every day and opportunity that life presents you. Don’t let the hard times get you down. But, above all, make sure that you are prepared for eternity. 

GOD’S PERSPECTIVE OF TIME

Psalm 90:4 tells us that for God, “a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.”

Yes, you need to live your life to the full, but your earthly life is so short. It is important to see the big picture. You need to have a godly, eternal perspective.

You may only be living for the moment, living it up for temporary pleasure. Be careful how you live. Eternity awaits. 

You may be so worried and stressed out about what tomorrow holds, whether you will survive your current crisis, whether you will get through the dark period. Hold on. There is more to life than the here and now.

2 Peter 3 also talks about 1,000 years…

“But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.” (2 Peter 3:8)

1,000 years on earth is equivalent to a day in eternity. Have we missed the true meaning of life?

If one single day in eternity is longer than your whole life on earth, then whether you have a good day or a bad day makes no big difference in the greater scheme of things. 

God did not make you just to live for a brief time on earth. He made you to share eternity with Him. Life on earth is short, while eternity has no end. It continues forever and ever. God wants to share forever with you and me.  

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise (to return), as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed (perish) but wants everyone to repent.” (2 Peter 3:9)

God is waiting for you to turn to Him. He knows we were cut off from Him because of our sins.

But God loved you and me so much that he sent Jesus Christ to save us.

Jesus was the pure and spotless Lamb of God. He came 2000 years ago to die on the cross, paying the price for our past, present, and future sins so that we can have a relationship with God.  

God has given you and I freedom to live as we please. However, there is a consequence.  You can choose to accept God’s “free” gift of eternal life, or we can choose to reject it.

But God does not want anyone to perish. He wants to spend eternity with you.  

One day, God will return. We will all need to stand before God on judgment day. Either we will spend eternity with God, or we will be banished from His presence forever.

“But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.” (2 Peter 3:10)

God is wanting a close and intimate walk with you. This relationship is not just during our short, temporary lives on earth. It continues into eternity.

There is more to life than just the few short years God gives you on earth. You will live forever.

Do you know where you will spend your forever?

Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28)

GOD’S KINGDOM – LIFE BEYOND THE GRAVE

In God’s Kingdom, there will be no more suffering and heartache like we have on Earth. We will spend eternity with God, where there will be no more darkness, no more fear, no more worry. We will know God. We will be in perfect peace. There will be no more death, no more sickness, and no more pain. 

Jesus referred to heaven as “paradise”. (Luke 23:43)

How can you know that you have eternal life?

John 3:36 tells us, “Whosoever believes in the Son (Jesus) has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son (Jesus) will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

Do you believe in Jesus? Have you put your faith in him? If not, today, you can call on Jesus. 

Although we were cut off from God because of sin, God sent Jesus to be our Savior. 

John 3:16 tells us the good news, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus came to bring us eternal life.

If your eternity is a matter of chance, I encourage you to get your life right with God. He is the creator. He made you to live forever. He wants to share forever with you. 

If you would live to begin a relationship with God, call on Jesus. 

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

If you want to start or restart your walk with God, click here to pray a simple prayer we have set up for you.

SHARE THE GOOD NEWS 

I must add that God wants everyone to share eternity with Him. He does not want anyone to perish. 

Where do your loved ones stand with God in relationship to eternity?

I implore you to share this good news with your friends and family.

Imagine how your loved ones would respond if they had to die and end up separated from God for all eternity.

They would be so mad at you.

They would cry out, “If you knew the truth of eternity, why didn’t you care enough to tell me!”

CONCLUSION: KEEP AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE 

There is so much more than the life here and now. I want to encourage you, especially during the difficult times, to keep your eyes on Jesus. Be heavenly-minded. See the big picture. 

Paul wrote, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

Forget the past. See the big eternal picture. Press on. Upward. Onward. Heavenward. 

Paul concluded with these challenging words, “For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:18-21)

Live for God. Live with a heavenly perspective. Live as a citizen of heaven.

In eternity, if you are God’s child, you will be given a new, gloriously transformed body. You will live in His eternal Kingdom, where there will be no more stress and troubles that plague our lives on earth. We will know God perfectly. We will live in continual perfect peace and joy. 

What an exciting future adventure awaits God’s children in eternity.  

Keep your eyes open. Be ready. You were made to live forever. God has a huge plan for your life. It is a good plan. It is an eternal plan. Keep your eyes on the big picture. 

If you want to start or restart your walk with God, click here to pray a simple prayer we have set up for you.