Running Out of Time
- Joe Hawkins
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Time. It’s the one thing we never have enough of and yet the one thing that keeps ticking whether we’re ready or not. For my friend and colleague Scott Townsend, time has become an ever-present pressure. An invisible clock counting down as he strives to complete a mission that has been etched on his heart. And in truth, Scott’s race against time mirrors our own. Whether we’re aware of it or not, we’re all racing against the same clock. It's counting down not just to the end of our individual lives, but possibly to the Rapture of the Church. One way or another, this chapter will end. The question is—what are we doing with the time we’ve been given?
The Dash That Defines Us
You’ve likely heard the analogy of the dash on a tombstone—the short line between the date of birth and the date of death. That dash represents everything a person did in their lifetime. For believers, that dash ought to be filled with purpose, obedience, and urgency. We weren’t saved just to sit. We were saved to serve. We were commissioned to go (Matthew 28:18–20), not coast. Time is running out, and what we do with our dash will echo into eternity.
Jesus made this clear in John 9:4:
“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”
Christ understood the urgency of His mission. And as His followers, we should too.
The Velocity of Time
Is it just me, or does it feel like time is speeding up? Days blur into weeks, weeks into months. Headlines come and go so quickly that yesterday’s crisis is forgotten by breakfast. We’re overwhelmed by schedules, distracted by screens, and burdened by busyness. And yet, despite the flurry of activity, many are spiritually asleep.
Paul warned of this in Romans 13:11:
“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”
Time is not a renewable resource. We are closer now to the return of Christ than ever before. If we’re paying attention to the world around us—geopolitical instability, moral decay, economic uncertainty, and spiritual compromise—we’ll see that the signs are flashing like neon: The end is near. The time to act is now.
Living With the End in View
We don’t know the day or hour of the Lord’s return, but we do know this: we’re running out of time to reach the lost. Every minute matters. That coworker who’s been on your heart. That family member who has hardened their heart to the Gospel. That neighbor whose door you’ve passed by too many times.
We need to live like Paul, who said in Acts 20:24:
“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
This race is not about popularity or profit. It’s about proclamation.
The Great Commission Is Not a Suggestion
Jesus didn’t leave us with a list of recommendations. He left us with a command. The Great Commission is not part-time work for full-time Christians. It’s not a retirement plan for pastors or missionaries. It’s a battlefield assignment for every believer.
We were saved to be sent. Whatever job you have—teacher, technician, truck driver, temp—it’s not just to generate income; it’s to cultivate an outcome. To paraphrase Abraham Hamilton III, our careers should fuel our calling. The mission is not just survival. It’s surrender. Surrender to the cause of Christ. Surrender to His will. Surrender to the urgency of the Gospel.
The Urgency of Encouragement
In the days ahead, we need to be encouraging the soldiers who are still fighting on the front lines. Scott Townsend is one of those men. He has labored with a sense of urgency, fully aware that the window of opportunity is closing. Like Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, he has stayed on task, hammer in one hand, sword in the other. His mission matters—and so does your support.
Encouragement isn’t just about compliments. It’s about intercession. Before you lift someone up with your words, lift them up in prayer. Paul constantly asked the early Church to pray for him—not because he doubted God, but because he understood the spiritual warfare involved in Gospel work (Ephesians 6:18–20).
If you know someone who is laboring for the Lord—pray for them. Write them. Support them. Join them. We may not all be called to the same task, but we are all called to the same team.
Redeem the Time
Ephesians 5:15–16 says:
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
To redeem time means to make the most of every opportunity. Don’t waste your dash. Don’t delay obedience. Don’t defer to someone else what God has called you to do.
The days are evil and they’re also short. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to share your faith, start a ministry, or forgive someone—this is it. The longer you wait, the more time you lose.
A Final Warning—and a Final Hope
Time is running out. But the Church shouldn’t be running scared. We should be running with purpose. We’re not waiting for the Antichrist; we’re waiting for Jesus Christ. But until that trumpet sounds, we are called to warn the lost and wake the found.
2 Corinthians 6:2 reminds us:
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
There will come a day when time is no more. No more warnings. No more chances. Just eternity. And what we do right now matters forever.
Your Assignment Starts Now
If you’re reading this, God still has work for you to do. Maybe your hands are full, your calendar’s packed, and your energy is drained—but you are still in the fight. And someone is depending on you to show them the Way.
So run your race. Redeem the time. Encourage the workers. And live with eternity in mind.
And remember: you’re not racing alone. We’re in this together! Shoulder to shoulder, prayer by prayer, soul by soul.
We are running out of time. But we are not running out of hope.
Stay Awake. Keep Watch.