In September 1886, The Indiana Progress published this statement, "We may be care-worn and aged, forsaken of the world, living on borrowed time, useless so far as any activity is concerned, dependent on children, or friends; yet Jesus has loving acquaintance with us."
The phrase to "live on borrowed time," means to continue living after a point at which you might easily have died.
A doctor called his patient into his office to give the patient the results from the previous tests. The doctor says, "I have some good news and some bad news." The patient said, "Give me the good news first." The doctor said, "According to your test results, you only have 24 hours to live." The patient asked, "Then what is the bad news?" The doctor said, " I should have told you this on yesterday."
I would like to ask you two questions. The first question: What is your date of birth? That question was easy, right? The second question: What is your date of your death? Now you are thinking, seriously!
"The days of our years are threescore years and ten, Or even by reason of strength fourscore years; Yet is their pride but labor and sorrow; For it is soon gone, and we fly away" (Psalm 90:10). Many people think that we are given 70 years of life and when they pass, then they think that they are on "borrowed time." Life expectancy at birth for the total U.S. population was 77.8 years, a decline of 1 year from 78.8 in 2019. For males, the life expectancy at birth was 75.1 and for females, life expectancy declined to 80.5.
From the day we are born is the minute we begin to die. From the day we are born to the day of our death, we are on "borrowed time." The Bible says, "For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them" (Ecclesiastes 9:12).
The wisest use of "borrowed times," is to invest in it. How do we invest in it? In loving our Creator. "You must love him with all your heart and soul and mind and strength" (Mark 12:30). While living on "borrowed time" we should invest in a solid foundation, establishing an eternal rate of return. This rate of return pays an incorruptible dividend that will last forever. We will one day leave this life. It could be today, but whenever it will be, it will be forever, either in Heaven or in Hell.
Let me share this story with you. There was a king who decided to hold a contest to see who was the best jester in his kingdom. Jesters back then were called "fools." A jester in those days would be compared to a clown today.
After the contest was over, the king chose his winner and presented him with a golden scepter that had these words engraved on it: "The Greatest Fool in The Kingdom."
Some years had past, and the king called the same jester to come to him. The jester found the king laying flat on his bed, dying. The kings said to the jester, "I am about to embark on a long journey." The jester asked, "Where are you going?" The king answered, "I don't know."
The jester asked, "How long will you be gone?" The king answered, "I will be gone forever." The jester asked, "What preparations have you made for this journey?" The king answered, "I have made no preparations."
The jester then handed the golden scepter with the inscription, "The Greatest Fool In The Kingdom" back to the king and said, "Then this scepter belongs to you."
To live your entire life and not know Jesus, is the worst mistakes someone could ever make. When you die, you will be spending eternity somewhere, heaven or hell. Your good deeds, or self-righteousness, or anything that you have accomplished cannot get you into heaven. When you stand before God, all of the good deeds that you have ever done, all of the good things that you have ever accomplished, or wanted to accomplish, or tried to accomplish, will have no bearing on God allowing you into Heaven. All of this things will be totally irrelevant.
The only way to get to heaven is by becoming a Christian, which is by accepting Jesus as your Savior. Because of man's sin, we were separated from God. We cannot get into heaven on our own merit. The Bible makes it clear that every person is inherently wicked. In order for man to get to heaven, it is through God, the Son. Jesus came to earth, lived a sinless life, and died as the perfect sacrificial lamb. Three days later, Jesus was resurrected. God gave us this gift of salvation, and a new life through Jesus, and He will one day return for His people.
Yes, we all are living on "borrowed time." All of our time is borrowed, because we owe all of our time to God. As Christians, we belong to God, because we have been bought with the blood of Jesus.