This month, I will turn 65 years of age. This would be a fearful thing if there was no future beyond this life when we reach the twilight of our years. The intrigue of what may exist on the other side leaves many bewildered and worried. There is a spark of eternity that exists within each life that reminds the individual of expectations beyond our current experiences. It takes too much effort to drown out the conscience which reminds us of the truest meaning of life. That is life’s biggest struggle—silencing the inner reminders that ought to be given the greatest attention. When the self is the primary objective for living, what happens when you are alerted to the awareness that those hours are rapidly slipping away? Some try to revert back to their second childhood or adolescence. Unfortunately, the nostalgia of the past becomes the time warp where they try to recapture their lives. That person will eventually die the death of a fool.
Solomon’s assessment of life was a simplistic approach with a focus on immediate returns. He assessed life as “vanity of vanity, all is vanity.” Life was really the smoke of smoke, giving an appearance of reality without the realistic substance. Even though there are highs and lows, he eventually believed that all would be lost. How can a man with everything going for him arrive at that conclusion? He came to realize what many never realize; that nothing under the sun is meant to last forever. Despite this epiphany, eternity was in his heart. As he continued to reason from a different perspective, Solomon distinguished between the things that matter and the things that last are beyond the horizon. Life can be lived with an outlook that is unlimited! Life is more than the accumulation of the trappings of worldly success and the deception of temporal power. Although the energy allotted to me can be used to make a difference in the world, the difference that really counts is the God-given task to which each of us has been assigned.
Growing older isn’t bad if you are growing wiser. The knowledge attained is eternal and transferable—you can take it with you. Even though there is the assurance that a legacy is left behind for those who follow, your life is more than a legacy. God has given you a destiny. The deepest longings of the heart will be completely satisfied by the God who is pleased with the person who lives life on purpose. That purpose is made known through His will and testament, both written and proclaimed by those who are assigned to awaken hearts and lives to a new life. The rehashing of old information is merely marking time. The intention is to awaken the soul and spirit in order for you to see what you thought you understood in a new and living way. The patriarchs of old lived and died in faith. They could rest in peace because they knew that there was more to them than bodies that would eventually decay. Regardless of how much you may strain to try to understand this on your own, it still seems unrealistic. However, when the right message reaches the heart by way of the Holy Spirit, there is an understanding of truth that cannot be denied, even when circumstances may attempt to contradict what is revealed.
Yes, I’m getting older but I’m getting wiser. Experiences in life have led to me to understand what I once could only address. No longer am I merely a talking head, but a man who has seen and witnessed the Hand of God moving on his behalf. One who has experienced the transformation that has been made in my life and is made available to any who would believe in and on the Lord, Jesus Christ. While Sixty five may be the age of retirement to some, there is too much life to be lived and too many things left undone for me to relax and let life pass me by. The wasted years were meant to be progressive years. There are no shortcuts in life…You must live life one moment at a time, but make sure that you make each moment count.
