If you live in a Western country the average life expectancy is around 80; with women living a year or two longer as a rule. So, if you are clean-living, the chances are pretty good that you will attend your 80th birthday in good spirits. Not too many generations ago men especially were lucky to reach 60. Diets rich in fat and salt, over consumption of alcohol and cigarettes didn’t exactly do much to keep the heart disease and diabetes stats down. Psalm 90:10a (“As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years”) was aspirational for many.
With our pre-flood ancestors living lives well into their centuries—topping out with Methuselah at 969—our 80 years seem poultry, by comparison. The post flood generations could expect to live to 120 (Gen.6:3); many, of course, living longer than that. What are we to do about our time on earth? Looking around, I would say that the average person just leaves length-of-days to chance. What a shame. I have said before, “Lord, make me 20 again, I will not waste that strength this time.” Or would I? If we are not taking advantage of the strength of today, why would God want to give us more? Our starting point has to be set according to God desire for our life in this body. Therein are your mind and soul housed. But most of all, you invited the Holy Spirit in when you were baptised (Acts 2:38). You handed over ownership: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (1Cor.6:19). What is your life’s new motivational factor in this handover? It is: “For you have been bought with a price:” (1Cor.6:20a). The price being the ransom paid for your soul by Jesus on the cross—“Therefore glorify God in your body” (1Cor.6:20b). The point being: Your physical body is to be tuned as best as you can to help the Holy Spirit to convict the hearts of men through you. Put that above your mirror!(johnstaiger1@gmail.com) More articles, sermons and classes online at: morningsidechurchofchrist.org.nz
0 Comments