“As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” Psalm 103:15-16

Short Time

“Short time!  SHORT TIME!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. I’m normally a pretty quiet, reserved person, but it was wrestling season and that was my son out on the mat. He had seconds left on the clock, and if he was going to do something to win the match, he had to do it now!

Wrestling is a pretty intense sport. You face off against an opponent who tries to dominate you by pinning you to the mat—holding you down with your back to the ground. And you try to do the same to him. You have three one minute rounds, and that’s it. Winning’s awesome; losing by points stinks; but getting pinned is the worst.

It was the next morning when I read this verse in Psalms. I remembered the phrase I had screamed the day before, “Short time!”, and it hit me like a spiritual ton of bricks. Girls, we have short time. Whether you live 30 more years, 50, or 5, it doesn’t matter: we have short time. 

In wrestling, there are two scenarios where “short time” really matters. The first is when your child is in trouble. His opponent has him down on the mat, and he is fighting, usually in pain, with everything within him to not get pinned. So if there are only seconds left, you yell “short time” to encourage the child—just hang in there a little longer; keep fighting; don’t give up—it’s almost over. The other scenario is when the points are close, and if you’re going to win you have got to make a move RIGHT NOW. 

I think both scenarios apply to us. If you’re in difficulty, with your back to the ground, fighting to survive this round, I would remind you: “Short time! Don’t give up!” Romans 8:18 NIV: “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed.” Help is coming, time is short, and we have this hope as an anchor for our souls!

If you’ve been waiting to make a move—stalling to obey a calling, or making excuses as to why now is not the time—I would say to you: “Short time! If you’re going to do something, you need to make a move NOW!” You were called to such a time and place as this.

Psalm 103:17 says, “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him.…”  Beloved, we have “short time,” but I want to encourage you that the same is not true of God. He has “long time.” He is not under any time constraints, and time is not a threat to Him. Time proves God’s love, because His love endures and transcends all time, even after we are gone, to our children’s children. Let us live in confidence of who God is, but let us also be aware that we have short time.

God, thank You for reminding me that You are my hope and that You have placed me in this time and this place for a purpose. Help me to use the time and resources you’ve given me wisely for Your glory and Your kingdom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.