It's not life's duration, but its donation

One thing I've noticed as I get older is how time seems to pass more quickly. When I was in elementary school, it seemed like sitting in class lasted forever. I would stare at the clock, waiting for the hands to move. But then as I grew older, the months went by more quickly. Then years went by more quickly. Now, even decades go by more quickly. And as I look at my life, I realize that I have more years behind me than I have ahead of me. Time passes so quickly.

Some people seem to be in denial about aging, so they undergo surgery and cosmetic procedures in an attempt to look younger than they actually are. Everyone wants to figure out how to prolong their lives. But here is the thing we need to realize: God has an appointed day for our birth and also for our death. As Job said, "A person's days are determined; [God has] decreed the number of his months and [has] set limits he cannot exceed" (Job 14:5 NIV). And the psalmist wrote, "Show me, LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is" (Psalm 39:4).

Let's say that your doctor called you in to his or her office tomorrow morning and said, "We have just done tests on you after your last physical, and I have to tell you that you have only one year to live."

If that were the situation, how would you live your last year on Planet Earth? Would you live your life any differently?

In a 2011 interview, Greta Van Susteren asked Billy Graham this question: "If you were to do things over again, would you do it differently?"

TRENDING: 'Impeach Barack Obama': Lindsey Graham suggests liberals' worst nightmare

He responded, "Yes. I would study more. I would pray more, travel less, take less speaking engagements. ... If I had it to do over again, I'd spend more time in meditation and prayer and just telling the Lord how much I love him and adore him, and I'm looking forward to the time that we're going to spend together in eternity."

When life comes to an end, certain things become more important to us.

The Bible tells us the story of a man who found out that his time on Earth was quickly coming to an end. His name was Hezekiah, and he was the king of Israel. In contrast to many of the kings who ruled over the Jewish people, Hezekiah was a godly man. He tore down the idols that had been erected to false gods, and he called Israel to return to the Lord. When Israel was threatened by their enemies, the Assyrians, it was King Hezekiah who asked the Lord for deliverance. God answered his prayer and destroyed 185,000 Assyrian troops on the battlefield. Hezekiah was a man of God, a man of faith.

Do you appreciate Greg Laurie's challenging spiritual insights? Check out the WND Superstore's extensive Laurie section of books and devotionals

But one day he became very ill – so ill, in fact, that he was about to die. God sent the prophet Isaiah with this message for Hezekiah: "Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover" (2 Kings 20:1).

Hezekiah wasn't prepared to accept this news, so he called out to God. He reminded God of what a faithful king he had been, and he asked God to spare his life. So God sent Isaiah back to Hezekiah with another message: "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. ... I will add 15 years to your life" (2 Kings 20:5, 6 NLT).

That is a good thing, right? Not necessarily. The Bible give us this detail about Hezekiah's response: "But Hezekiah's heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord's wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem" (2 Chronicles 32:25 NIV). Hezekiah's heart was proud, and his response was wrong.

During the additional 15 years Hezekiah was given, he gave classified information to his enemies – sort of a biblical version of WikiLeaks. An emissary from Babylon was sent to visit Hezekiah, and for some reason, Hezekiah showed him all the treasures of Israel. This motivated the Assyrians to invade and take the Jewish people into captivity for 70 years. It was also during this same time period that Hezekiah had a son named Manasseh, who ascended the throne after Hezekiah and effectively undid all the good his father had done.

So how should Hezekiah have responded when he found out that his life was coming to an end? He probably should have said something along the lines of, "Well, Lord, I would like to live longer if that is in Your will. But if this is my time, then fine." He should have put the matter into God's hands.

Jim Elliot was a young missionary who felt called by God to an unreached tribe in Ecuador. But he and his four colleagues were martyred in their endeavors. Though he had so much promise and so much life ahead of him, it was cut short. Yet he had written these words in his journal:
"I seek not a long life but a full one, like you, Lord Jesus."

When it is all said and done, it is not about simply living a long life; it is about living a life that is full and purposeful.

Corrie ten Boom, a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp, once said, "The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration but its donation."

So what kind of donation is your life making? Are there things that you need to stop doing that you know are unproductive? Are there things you need to start doing that would help you a great deal?

When it is all said and done, the only thing that will really matter is whether you accomplished the purpose God had for you.