2012: Are We Running Out of Time?

When I worked for the government, the assignments on my ‘to-do’ list and the documents in my ‘in-basket’ were categorized by due date. Everything was “time sensitive.” The consequence of missing a due date could shut down a government program.

Jesus knew His work on earth was time sensitive—“I must do the works of Him who sent me while it is day because night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4). A modern translation might read: “I must quickly carry out the tasks assigned me by the one who sent me.” Without 'organizer' or 'i-phone,' Jesus was able to do everything 'in time,' on-time.  Knowing that He spent each morning alone with His father, I have to wonder, was He receiving His “assignments” for the day?

We should not, however, imagine that Jesus feared running out of time, as you and I might.  Rather, His statement acknowledges that 1) each of us is only given so much time, John 11:9, and 2) our time will end.  And like Jesus, we too have only one brief lifetime to fulfill the ministry God has us called to. Our earthly lives are “time sensitive.” Will we be able to say as He did: “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” [and right on time!] (John 17:4).

Speaking more globally, someday TIME will run out (literally).  The world will cease to exist as we know it, and TIME will be no more.  Might 2012 be the year the world finally runs out of TIME?