Time measures the span of human life, counting each breath and step from birth to the grave. In Genesis 5, we see the great ages of the patriarchs—Adam, Seth, Methuselah—each living for centuries, yet every entry in the genealogy ends with the same fate: “and he died.” No matter how many years a man may live, his days are finite, his existence confined by time. Yet within this certainty of mortality, there lies a deeper truth: the fruits of righteousness endure beyond the limits of human years.
One name in Genesis 5 breaks the pattern—Enoch. The passage does not say, “and he died.” Instead, we read, “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). His life was not marked by an end, but by a transition, revealing that fellowship with God transcends even death. While our bodies may fade, a life lived in righteousness bears fruit that outlasts generations, leaving behind a legacy that echoes in eternity.
Consider the countless faithful who have walked the earth, their days numbered like ours, yet whose influence remains. The prayers of a devoted servant of God still rise in the hearts of those they touched. The kindness of the righteous plants seeds that bloom long after they have departed. The wisdom of the faithful continues to guide, even when their voice is no longer heard.
Though time may write an ending to every earthly life, righteousness pens a story without conclusion. The deeds of the just do not perish with them; they take root in the fabric of history, bearing fruit in the lives of those who come after. Jesus Himself affirmed this truth, saying, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys” (Matthew 6:20).
The years of man are fleeting, but the impact of a life devoted to God reaches beyond time. The faithful do not labor in vain—their works, their faith, their love continue to ripple outward, shaping the world in ways unseen. And when their numbered days are done, they step not into oblivion, but into the embrace of the Eternal, where their righteousness endures forever.
The years of man like rivers flow,
A fleeting breath, a fleeting glow.
The strongest hands, the wisest mind,
All yield to time, all fall behind.
Their names are carved in stone so cold,
Their stories fade, their bodies old.
Yet one walked past the grasp of fate,
For God had called—he did not wait.
Enoch walked where faith led on,
A path where death was overthrown.
No tolling bell, no grave to keep,
Just steps that climbed where heavens meet.
For though our days may pass like sand,
The righteous leave a mark that stands.
A kindness sown, a truth made bright,
A love that lingers in the light.
The prayers once whispered, still take flight,
The seeds once planted bloom in sight.
Though time may write an earthly end,
The faithful’s work will still extend.
So live not for the dust and stone,
For fleeting crowns that lose their throne.
But walk with God and cast your light,
And watch it burn beyond the night.
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