“Like a drop of water from the sea and a grain of sand so are a few years in the day of eternity. Therefore the Lord is patient with them and pours out his mercy upon them” (Sir 18:10-11).
What wisdom our hearts would gain if we were more aware of this reality! We have the short time of our earthly life at our disposal, and then eternal fellowship with our heavenly Father awaits us in indescribable glory.
How much strength we could draw from this hope to fulfill the mission that God has entrusted to us in our earthly life! How many fruits of true humility would grow from the knowledge that we are responsible before the One who is so patient with us and offers us His mercy every day! How our lives could be transformed by this vision of the reality of our existence!
At the same time, today’s quotation gives us a glimpse into the heart of our Father. He knows eternity, He knows what awaits man, and He has announced it to us again and again. He sees the wrong ways we go and knows the consequences. How much our Father longs for people to walk in His ways and accept His love! He waits for them again and again, until their last breath.
Our Father’s patience has only the limit that we set for ourselves when we waste our lives or even stubbornly rebel against Him. It is infinite folly not to allow ourselves to be loved by our Father and not to accept His mercy.
How quickly our life is over! Perhaps tomorrow.
We can acquire wisdom today and we do not have to wait until we are old. We are invited to use the few years we have to respond to the One who is so patient with us and who waits for us in eternity.