The Brevity of life  by J.W. Bramhall

   Over the triple doorway of Milan Cathedral there are three
inscriptions spanning the splendid arches. Above one is carved a wreath
of roses and underneath is the legend:

   "ALL THAT PLEASES IS BUT FOR A MOMENT".

   Over the second is sculptured a cross and underneath are the words:

   "ALL THAT TROUBLES IS BUT FOR A MOMENT".

   While underneath the great central entrance to the main aisle of the
Cathedral is the inscription:

   "THAT ONLY IS IMPORTANT WHICH IS ETERNAL".

   The brevity of life in contrast to eternal things should constantly
be realized. The Bible states--

   1. LIFE IS BUT A TALE -- "We spend our years as a tale that is
told"-- Psalm 90:9. It does not take long to spin a tale and the end of
the story comes. Such is your brief life! The Hebrew test is more
revealing in another translation--"We spend our years as a passing
thought". It may be many years to us, but in contrast to eternity it is
only "a passing thought." HOW BRIEF!

   2. LIFE IS BUT A PILGRIMAGE -- "For we are strangers before Thee,
and SOJOURNERS, as were all our fathers; our days on earth are as a
SHADOW, and there is none abiding" 1 Chronicles 29:15. A short journey;
a brief pilgrimage through this world; like a moving shadow that
quickly flits across the sands of time, then gone! HOW BRIEF!

   3. LIFE IS BUT A HAND-BREADTH -- "Behold, Thou hast made my days as
an HAND- BREADTH, and mine age is as nothing before Thee"-- Psalm 39:5.
God quickly answered David's desire to "know the measure" of his days
which he expressed in Psalm 39:4. Contrasted to eternity--his days were
the width of his hand! Contrasted to God, an eternal Being--"as
nothing"! HOW BRIEF!

   4. LIFE IS BUT A VAPOR -- "For what is your life? It is even a
VAPOR, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanishes away"--
James 4:14. NOt that brief you say! This is what God declares it is in
relation to eternity. The next opportunity, watch the rise of vapor and
its quick disappearance from sight. This is the brevity of your life
says God. HOW BRIEF!

   5. LIFE IS BUT A FLOWER -- "Man that is born of a woman is of few
days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a FLOWER, and it is cut
down"-- Job 14:1, 2. Brief, but troubled, was Job's comment of life and
often it is our judgement too. Like a FLOWER, now budding, then
blooming, but suddenly gone! "Cut down!". It matters not which flower
you think you are, from daisies to orchids, yet the "flower" we cherish
and nourish with admiration is soon gone! Its duration--HOW BRIEF!

   6. LIFE IS BUT A TENT -- "For we who are in this TENT sign under our
burden"-- 2 Corinthians 5:4-- Confraternity Translation. Note the
context of this chapter and realize that your body and mine is no more
than a temporary dwelling structure that soon shows the signs of wear
and tear. Your body and mine is but the temporal dwelling place for the
spirit and soul, just a TENT! A vulnerable structure that is subject to
the vicissitudes of life on earth, possibly with patches and stiches
already showing-- HOW BRIEF!

   7. LIFE IS BUT AS GRASS -- "All flesh is as GRASS, and all the
goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth
and the flower fadeth; because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it;
surely the people is GRASS"-- Isaiah 40:6, 7. The scorching sun and the
cold of winter both blight the tender grass, withering it away. How
quickly it is destroyed! Everything may look green in life, but one
blast from the breath of God can soon take us away! How uncertain is
life. HOW BRIEF!

   In this manner the Holy Scriptures vividly and accurately describe
THE BREVITY OF LIFE in contrast to eternity and One Who is an Eternal
Being, GOD! Let us acknowledge the truth of God's Word with realization
of life's brevity, compared to eternity. Ask yourself the question--AM
I PREPARED TO MEET MY GOD? If not, permit me to explain God's way of
salvation to you:

   1. You MUST acknowledge before God the truth of His Word which
declares you to be a lost guilty sinner in His sight. This is a
universal fact-- "For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of
God"-- Romans 3:23; see Isaiah 53:6.

   2. You MUST acknowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ, God's beloved
Son, is the only Saviour for you, having died on the Cross to shed His
precious blood for your sins. "In Christ we have redemption, through
HIS blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of HIS
grace"-- Ephesians 1:7. See Isaiah 53:5; John 1:29; John 3:16.

   3. You MUST accept by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal
Lord and Saviour. "As many as received HIM, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name"-- John
1:12. See Romans 10:9.

   Will you do this NOW? Your eternal future is at stake! Where will
you spend eternity? Life is BRIEF! Eternity is FOREVER! "THAT ONLY IS
IMPORTANT WHICH IS ETERNAL!"

   "Eternity, eternity! Where will you spend eternity? Tis heaven or
hell for you and me; Make now your choice, WHICH SHALL IT BE?"

   Are you a Christian? Then permit the Spirit of God to inscribe
deeply into your heart and life the indelible words to challenge your
soul-- THAT ONLY IS IMPORTANT WHICH IS ETERNAL! LIVE FOR ETERNITY! Say
with the apostle Paul-- "FOR TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST"-- Philippians
1:21.