How Much Time Do I Have?

One Sunday morning in 1980 my uncle was the guest teacher at a Sunday School class in a church some distance from his home. Being unfamiliar with the time allotted for teaching, after some time had passed, he paused, looked at his watch and asked the class, “How much time do I have?” Those were the last words he ever spoke as a massive heart attack at that very moment sent him into eternity with his Savior, Jesus Christ. He was 57.

“How much time do I have?”

The men on my fathers side have lived to a very old age. My great grandfather lived until age 99. My grandfather reached 100. My dad was 80 and healthy, and we all expected him to continue

the family longevity tradition. On a cold February Sunday afternoon in 2010, he told my mother, “I don’t feel good, I think I’ll lie down for a bit.” My mother was out of the room. She heard a strange noise and went to check on him. He was gone, an unexpected heart attack sent him into eternity with his Savior, Jesus Christ.

“How much time do I have?”

Lainey’s father was 67. Her mother went to the store to get some groceries. When she returned, she found him on the bed where he had sat to rest. A heart attack sent him into eternity with his Savior Jesus Christ.

“How much time do I have?”

If you’re a young person reading this, you may think, those men were old, I have the rest of my life in front of me. Yes, you do. What you cannot know is if the rest of your life is 60 years or 60 minutes.

Young or old, life confronts every person with the most serious question: How much time do I have? We make plans for tomorrow, next month, next year, or retirement, yet we have no guarantee of seeing them fulfilled. We all face death at some point, sometimes suddenly, sometimes slowly, but always certain.

The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the brevity of our lives, encouraging us to live with urgency—especially regarding the matter of salvation. Scripture describes human life as fleeting. Psalm 90:10, “The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” 

King David echoes this in Psalm 39:5: “Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor..” James 4:14 delivers perhaps the most sobering thought: “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” 

Whether we live to be 30 or 90, our time on earth is a brief moment when measured against eternity.The shortness of this life carries a serious caution for all. Hebrews 9:27 states plainly, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment…” 

There is no second chance after death, no opportunity for later repentance. The window for receiving God’s mercy is now, in this life. The prophet Isaiah warns, “Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6). 

The Apostle Paul reinforces this in 2 Corinthians 6:2: “…Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 

God’s offer of salvation is simple. Because of sin, every person stands separated from a holy God and deserving of judgment. But in love, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  

Salvation is received by grace alone through faith alone—not by good works, religious effort, or moral living. It requires acknowledging our sin, repenting, and trusting Christ as Lord and Savior.The question is not whether we will die, but when. One only needs to read the news to know; natural disasters, hurricanes, earthquakes, fire, flood, sudden illnesses, and accidents remind us daily that tomorrow is promised to no one. 

Delaying a decision for Christ is the most dangerous gamble a person can make. Proverbs 27:1 warns, “Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.” Today, while you still are able, consider your eternal destiny. An eternity with God or an eternity of judgment separated from Him. 

How much time do you have? Only God knows. The wise choice is to settle the matter now, today! Turn to Christ, receive His forgiveness, and begin a new life that counts for eternity. Be like the men at the beginning of this message, those who trust in Jesus step into everlasting life with their Savior. The time is now.

How much time do you have?

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