The Timer – by Marty Campfield

There’s something about setting a timer that changes everything. A simple timer measures either elapsed time or the time remaining. So, what’s the big deal about setting a timer, anyway?

How many of you have participated in sports or athletic competitions where you had to compete against the clock? In these situations, the timer measures elapsed time. Victory in such sports is measured by three things: Did the athlete show up on time? Did they compete fairly according to the rules? And did they achieve the fastest time?

As 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NIV) says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”

The highest level of achievement in these sports is often measured by the athlete who can set a faster time than anyone else in the world!

I’m sure you can recall some of the most famous and fastest athletes across various sports over the years. They trained, practiced, and performed as though every tenth of a second mattered—because it did. And it still does today.

How small is the margin by which these exceptional athletes win or set records? Minutes, seconds, tenths, or even hundredths of a second?

Then there’s a second type of timer: the countdown timer, which measures the time remaining. It can be used in sports competitions such as football or basketball, or in televised cooking competitions where contestants try to score the most points or prepare the most complete meal within a given time.

Another use for this type of timer is to measure the remaining duration of a flight. If you set the timer at takeoff and know the expected flight duration, you can estimate how much time remains before landing.

But most profoundly, many of us have a sense that a great “timer in the sky” has been set for our lives. We may feel eager, and perhaps even a sense of urgency, to accomplish all we can before our lives come to an end.

Jesus Himself spoke about divine timing in reference to His own life. In John 2:4 (NIV), He said, “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

When life isn’t going well, our dreams have been shattered, or the things we thought we were accomplishing seem to fall apart before our eyes, we may find ourselves feeling anxious and bewildered. We may fear that all is lost and that there isn’t enough time left on the clock to rebuild or do something meaningful with our lives.

Yet Scripture reminds us of God’s knowledge of our lives and the days He has ordained for us.

Psalm 139:16 (NIV) says, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

With this in mind, we may want to consider how aware we are of the timer ticking away in our own lives. Are we aware of it, paying attention to it, and responding accordingly? Or are we completely unaware of it, wasting time as though it will never run out?

Perhaps you fall somewhere between these two levels of awareness, thinking about your “life timer” only briefly and occasionally.

The psalmist writes in Psalm 90:12 (NIV), “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

If we truly believe that we have been given a limited number of days, we can carefully evaluate the primary objectives of our lives against the backdrop of time passing.

What have we been called to master, excel at, accomplish, or pursue? And are we pursuing these things diligently while keeping the timer in mind?

Finally, this raises a profound question: Who, exactly, has set the timer of our lives?

Can we influence it to some extent through the way we live? Does eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and making wise choices affect how long we live? Do we live recklessly or cautiously, taking risks that could end our lives prematurely?

Many people believe they are in control of their lives and time, only to be surprised when death knocks unexpectedly or they receive a frightening stage-four cancer diagnosis from their doctor.

Have you asked yourself these questions? Have you found the answers you’re looking for?

Personally, I believe that Jesus holds the key to understanding and ultimately controlling the timer of our lives. He can even change what we expect to happen when He performs miracles, raises people from the dead, or heals diseases and extends lives.

I believe it is worth reading about and investigating the unique claims of Jesus: who He was and is, why He came to earth, how and why He died a criminal’s death, and how He conquered death when He rose from the grave, victorious over sin and death. He then ascended into heaven, where He is today, dwelling in eternity beyond the limits of time as we know it.

Do you recognize Jesus as the central timekeeper of your life, or is He someone you rarely think about? Perhaps you give Him a passing thought on Sunday when you attend church, then go about your week as though you have all the time in the world.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us that God has “set eternity in the human heart.”

So, I encourage you today to respond to the call of Jesus, which echoes throughout eternity:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

“For everyone who believes in Me will not perish, but have everlasting life.” — John 3:16

And Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” — John 10:10 (NIV)

Note: The alarm goes off!

Well, that’s the sound of the timer alarm, meaning this talk has come to an end. It’s time to go now and remember these words from Ephesians 5:15–16 (NIV):

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity…”

About the Author

Marty Campfield of Thornton, Colorado, has professional experience in executive management, business development, fundraising, sales and marketing, personnel motivation and training, software and website development, and customer relationship management (CRM) design and optimization.

His work spans several industries, including technology, fertilizer, agricultural byproducts, and nonprofit fundraising. His expertise includes computer technology, geographic information systems (GIS), Microsoft products, corporate communications, business planning and execution, budgeting, and market development.

Marty has a particular interest in working with companies, ministries, and individuals focused on visionary development. He often helps develop comprehensive, scalable, and actionable strategic and tactical plans to support organizational growth and improve profitability.